Reece
by bnr848
Summary: Just when you think it was smooth sailing ahead, life has a way of changing the direction of the wind. Reece Castle was not giving up, and God helped anyone that got in his way. When it came to Sydney, he would fight to the death.
1. Chapter 1

**REECE**

 **BN848**

 **Disclaimer: The publicly recognized characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plots are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

 **Be warned: It's a love story. It's bound to get cheesy. So smile and enjoy.**

 **CHAPTER 1**

He was most definitely the Clark Kent to Jake's Superman, but Reece Castle enjoyed the role. Six feet four, thin and all muscle, he did not fit the stereotype of a science nerd. Even in his chosen field, he at times was underestimated. But people seldom made that mistake twice.

The oldest of the twins, Reece was the calmer of the two. After a particular touchy prank their senior year of high school their father had commented he was the only reason they weren't in jail. Reece always had a way of bringing potential danger down a notch, and his parents knew it. It had also allowed him to get away with more than Jake.

He was finishing his Master's, had already been a contributor to published research and was teaching undergraduate classes. The sciences were once again in vogue, and Reece Castle was a rising star. He was lucky, he really didn't have to choose between advancing academically, and a job. His parents had been clear, advanced degrees were a noble pursuit and one they could afford to give their children. If they had the smarts and drive to pursue them, they could count on financial support and assistance. Nonetheless, a Ph.D. in his field would take years.

He had considered his choice of careers an expansion of his parent's inquisitive genes. He'd always enjoyed the unknown equations of space and science, but it wasn't until high school it had really peaked his interest. It had truly been an explosive revelation.

It was Presidents Day weekend. Their father was in San Francisco on a book tour and their mother had joined him. They would only be gone four days. Their grandmother would be staying over to watch them. They were to be on their best behavior. They were almost fourteen and expected to act accordingly. Reece and Jake had been warned to stay out of trouble.

Friday had been uneventful. They had gone to school, returning to find Grams relaxing. Lily was off to a friend's and Reece and Jake made a night of it playing video games. They had ordered pizza and stayed up until two. Grams had woken them at eleven the next morning. His parents had already called twice, seeking assurances they were still alive. By one o'clock they had grown bored and as the saying goes, " _idle hands are the devil's workshop_." Reece could not remember when he'd gotten the idea, but soon they had convinced their grandmother they needed to finish a school project in the garage. Martha had watched the twins walk across the yard and gone about her day of relaxation.

Last Christmas they had begged their father for a chemistry set. Santa had fulfilled their wish with an impressive, beginners set and a top of the line microscope. After they'd filled the house with smoke, their mother had relegated the set, and any future experiments, to the garage. Their aunt Lanie had provided some harmless compounds and lab slides for the microscope which had amused them for a while. Jake had soon grown tired of the new toy, but Reece remained fascinated. They had just started learning about the chemistry of matter and Reece was spellbound. Ninth grade science had captivated young Reece Castle. Between his love of space and a new fascination with chemistry, his fate was sealed. He would explore alien life matter… in space!


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

He had persuaded Jake into the boring science experiment by promising to make a smoke bomb. At the word bomb, Jake had been convinced. Reece had borrowed potassium nitrate from the school's chemistry lab and was itching to use it. Jake got sugar and baking soda from the kitchen and the ingredients were complete. They also appropriated their father's cast iron skillet, the coffee grinder, and a roll of aluminum foil from the pantry. The other items they'd find in the garage. They were all set.

He'd diligently followed the video instructions. They'd used an old camping stove to cook the ingredients. Reece had insisted they look the part, so both dawned safety goggles, gloves and masks, Jake reluctantly complied. It was while Reece meticulously followed the instructions that things started to go south. Jake, who at times had the attention span of a gnat, soon lost interest and wondered off. He started rummaging through the garage and came across a stash of forgotten fireworks. The idea grew wings after that; Reece's little experiment had soon been hijacked.

It happened so fast he himself was taken by surprise. The smoke bomb was ready. Reece had set the fuse and he was anxious to see how much smoke they would get. As Reece lit the fuse, Jake lit the fireworks. Before they knew it the garage was engulfed; smoke and fireworks were going off left and right. It wasn't long before a petrified Martha was running across the lawn screaming for the boys.

Still clad in their safety goggles and masks the boys ran out of the garage; Reece slightly panicked, Jake laughing hysterically. Four minutes later the arriving FDNY Fire Company and NYPD patrol units made the situation less amusing. The smoke had continued to spew and had made matters appear worse than they actually were. The flammable chemicals had ignited after being left unchecked, but the fire was minimal at best. The fireworks had convinced Martha a bomb had gone off and in her panic, her call to 911 had reported it as such. The world had convened at the Castle's, and the twins were in major trouble.

Esposito and Ryan had responded in emergency mode. They had calmed Martha down and proceeded to chew out the boys. Martha had triggered the alarm in the main house and the smoke had set off the alarms in the garage. Rick, Kate, and Alexis had been notified. Two thousand miles away, Kate was ready to kill her sons. But Reece Castle had been fascinated by all the chemical reactions. He figured his parents would agree, a small mess was a small price to pay for knowledge. He was wrong.

The paramedics had assured Martha the boys were fine. Ryan had insisted Martha allow the firefighters to check her out. Not one to push away handsome men, Martha had enthusiastically agreed. Alexis had called and been assured all was well and there was no need to rush over. Ryan had informed her he and Esposito would take care of the twins.

After receiving an all clear from the fire department, Reece and Jake had been relegated to clean-up duty. Lucky for them the damage had been confined to the far corner where the chemistry set had been. Once the firefighters had entered the garage they'd notice it was a small fire with a lot of smoke. Uncertain of what chemicals the boys had, the fire department used a fire extinguisher designed for chemical fires, its powdery substance guaranteed to leave a mess. The police department had not been amused by the fireworks and had confiscated the remainder of the unused stash. Shy of some dirt and the white dust from the fire extinguisher, their fathers Ferrari and mothers Mercedes had been spared.

"Two of you, over here now! What the hell were you thinking?" Esposito was not a happy man.

"You could have blown yourselves up. Damn cars are full of gas. Good thing your mother's on the other side of the country, otherwise you two would be dead by now! Take off those stupid goggles, apologize to the officers and firefighters and go inside." Esposito was in drill sergeant mode.

The twins proceeded to apologize to each of the firefighters and officers still on the scene. Their bemused state had come to a screeching halt when they'd seen their grandmother being check by the paramedics. This had turned into a nightmare and they knew the worst was yet to come.

The rest of Saturday was spent cleaning the garage to the satisfaction of Esposito; not an easy task. Ryan had gone home while Esposito had relished in imposing maximum torture. Martha had gone inside to avail herself of one of Richard's more expensive wines to calm her nerves.

Sunday Jake had taken a cab and made it to Alexis for help. Their parents would be back Monday night and they needed to paint one of the walls in the garage. Reece was still cleaning, but no amount of scrubbing would get rid of the soot on the wall. Alexis had been surprised to see Jake arrive at her house unannounced. Well aware of the little arson, she was not welcoming.

"So did you and Reece split up so one of you would survive to tell the tale? Because honestly, I am ready to kill you myself. You scared the daylights out of Grams, not to mention the neighbors! You two are a menace!" Alexis had proclaimed.

"Lex, we're sorry. We did not mean to scare Grams. We were simply making a smoke bomb. It kind of escalated. I found fireworks and thought it would be fun to set them off. I came over to see if you and Ben could help us paint?" a contrite Reece declared.

"Jake, a word of advice. Nothing good has ever come from anything that starts with, _let's make a bomb_! Now, what in the world are you going to accomplish by painting? Do you actually think Kate and Dad won't notice that you two bombed the garage?" Alexis was not amused.

With his tail between his legs, Jake Castle was placed in a cab and sent home. Alexis firmly informed him she nor Ben would partake in any attempted cover-up. If they had been old enough to go rogue, they were old enough to pay the piper.

Their attempts at the clean-up had only made matters worse. Reece decided to leave well enough alone and brace for whatever punishment awaited them. Reece was willing to accept full responsibility, as he had been the one with the idea. Jake had refused. It had been his bonehead plan to set off the fireworks; he was just as guilty. They would face their parents together. After-all there was safety in numbers.

Their peaceful long weekend over, Kate and Castle had taken the red-eye from San Francisco to New York Sunday night. By nine o'clock Monday morning they were landing at JFK. At ten fifteen the towncar was pulling up to their house.

They were doing homework when they heard the front door. They decided to stay put and not make their presence known. They heard their grandmother leave without saying goodbye and knew they were in serious trouble. A few minutes later they'd been sternly summoned downstairs. His parents looked tired and unamused. His mother was so angry she was seated and not looking at them. His father just paced.

"I am not going to yell or scream. I can only say what you two have done is mind numbing. The one thing we asked was you behave. You almost killed your grandmother. Half the FDNY and every on-duty unit from the local precinct responded to your little misadventure. Thousands of tax payer dollars and resources wasted so you two dim-wits could make a smoke bomb. What if someone had had a real emergency? What if someone in the neighborhood had needed that EMS truck, or the fire engine? Did you ever stop to think of that? I am really at a loss for words. Your behavior this weekend was completely unacceptable. I cannot believe at your age your mother and I still have to babysit you! You should both be ashamed." Richard Castle was tired. He and Kate had been scared to death when the alarm company had called. It had taken them a few minutes to reach Martha, and those minutes had been the longest minutes of their lives.

Kate had always been the disciplinarian. The kids had learned early that Dad was the go to guy for pardons. Richard Castle had always been the softy, but there was no salvation from this. Once Kate stood the twins knew the hammer was coming down.

"Do you know how much I love your grandmother? Martha has been the closest thing to a mother I've had since I was nineteen-years-old. I worship that woman. What you two did this weekend, and the scare you gave her has no forgiveness. Your grandmother is in her eighties, she should have had a quiet weekend with her teenage grandchildren seeing to it that she was rested and relaxed. Instead, I left her with two anarchists, who attempted to build a bomb! Whatever possessed either one of you to remotely think that was okay? Your father and I are too angry to even think of punishment right now. But I assure you, gentlemen, that there will be hell to pay. Am I understood? Now go to your room and do not let me hear you breathe until we call you down for dinner." Kate angrily pointed towards the stairs.

They had been called for dinner and been greeted by silence. He and Jake had quickly eaten and returned to their room. Tuesday they had readied for school without any prompting from their mother. Their father had driven them and gone to speak to Mr. Harold, their science teacher. Reece had been given a week of detention for borrowing the potassium nitrate and barred from the upcoming science fair. Mr. Harold had been very disappointed, as Reece was one of his most trusted students. His father had insisted on additional punishment, so both had been assigned to help the groundskeeper with cleaning the field for the next two weeks.

The week had lagged. His parents had yet to pass sentence and each day the anxiety grew worst and worst. By Friday he and Jake were frantic. Saturday morning Castle roused them up at five in the morning, marched them downstairs for breakfast and then out to the garage. Both cars were gone, as was every item from their chemistry set. The soot covered walls, evidence of the experiment gone wrong, was obvious and center stage. In the middle of the room sat cleaning supplies, paint and a ladder.

"You two will finish cleaning this entire garage. When I say cleaning, I mean spotless. Afterward, you will paint every wall, top to bottom. It will be done neatly and carefully. All the materials are there, the money will be coming out of your allowance. The Ferrari and your mother's car are being detailed, that expense will also come from your allowance. You will also pay to replace the cast iron skillet and coffee grinder. There is water in the mini-fridge and I will come get you for lunch. Do not test me today guys, you do not want to poke the bear. Monday is a teacher's work day, so you have three days to get the job done. If you finish before I return you are to stay here; this is the only place you are allowed. In the event you need something, you can use the intercom to reach me or your mother. Now, are there any questions?" The boys shook their heads and Castle walked back to the house.

Even Lily was walking on eggshells. She had never heard the house so quiet. Reece and Jake had really done it this time.

The chemistry set and microscope were permanently gone. Reece and Jake had lost privileges to all electronics for the duration of the school year. For three months they would only have use of the office computer for school work. Their personal computers, cell phones, tablets and game consoles had been confiscated. The cords to their television set removed. It was a total electronic blackout. But worst of all, the Mets spring training junket with their grandfather had been canceled.

Reece worked hard at regaining Mr. Harold's trust and by eleventh grade was the top science geek in the school. Eventually, he had gotten a new microscope, but his mother had refused to allow another chemistry set in the house, so Reece had been relegated to the school lab for all his experiments. A small price to pay for his love of science.

Reece had only regretted one thing, and that had been scaring his grandmother. Everything else he could live with. Once his time in purgatory was over he had asked permission to visit her and apologize. Martha had greeted him with a huge hug as Reece, with tear filled eyes apologized with heartfelt sentiment.

Their grandmother Martha had always had a soft spot for her "kiddos." Reece and Jake could get her to do just about anything. They had always enjoyed spending time at her acting school. They had learned to sew Zombie costumes and create gory makeup techniques. Reece had even learned to dance there. Grams was fun, and all the Castle kids loved her. She'd passed away their sophomore year of college and he missed her every day.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Attending Columbia had been an easy choice. Known as pranksters and jokers, their fame cemented after blowing up their family garage and orchestrating outlandish practical jokes. In an epic prank, shortly before graduation, they had assembled a car in the teacher's lounge. It had gotten them suspended, but had made them legends at Marlowe Prep. Their saving grace had always been their charm, smarts, and excellent grades. It had balanced their passion for trouble.

Reece had been accepted to M.I.T., Harvard, and Columbia. Jake to Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell. But the deciding factor had been Sydney Wetherton. Once Sydney announced she'd be attending Columbia, Reece's fate was sealed. Jake had followed suit, opting to attend the same university as his brother.

 **Sydney and the twins had been friends since kindergarten. They had attended the same school until fifth grade when she'd transferred to Marlowe Prep. Four years later, after practically blowing up the science lab and placing a dozen frogs in the Faircroft Academy swimming pool they'd been expelled. Enrolled at Marlowe Prep, they'd once again join forces with Sydney. Reece had considered it the best outcome to ever have resulted from getting into trouble. Reece Castle had had a crush on Sydney Wetherton since fifth grade, it was the worst kept secret in the Castle household.**

 **They had been exiled them to the dorms at Columbia by their father. Castle hoped it would force them to grow up a little and more independent. Soon after, Reece and Jake settled in and took off on their individual scholastic endeavors. The alliance squashed by separate academic pursuits, trouble seldom followed. Reece found his niche in the** biophysics department **; Jake's trajectory took a bit longer.**

 **At the urging of his financial advisor, Castle had purchased half interest in a building less than a mile from the Columbia campus. With what he was spending on campus housing, Castle had considered it a wise investment. Junior year, Reece and Jake moved into one of the units. By then Sydney Wetherton and Reece Castle were unofficially, officially a couple. He, Jake and Sydney graduated together. Reece and Jake continued on to graduate school. Sydney turned a semester long internship into a career.**

 **To her father's disappointment, shortly before graduation, Sydney accepted a job without hesitation. Harold Wetherton had hoped Sydney would join him in the family business, but Sydney had ideas of her own. She'd taken a month off to travel with her parents, returning refreshed and committed. Her hard work, personality, and passion allowed her job to become second nature. She flourished.**

The internship had been a requirement for her degree. Majoring in Public Policy, she had hoped for a government agency but had been assigned to a local non-profit. She'd lived in the city her entire life and had never heard of them, but after a few weeks, she was hooked. In the span of two semesters, she had helped draft policy that ensured receipt of federal funding, worked on attracting financial support from private entities and been instrumental in addressing maximizing use of volunteers. Sydney Wetherton had found her stride. Afterward, she'd continued to volunteer. Two weeks before graduation they'd offered her a job. She had jumped at the opportunity.

The pay was dismal, but the rewards were immeasurable. An only child, Sydney Wetherton came from old money, a low paying job did not present a problem. Nonetheless, Sydney wanted to succeed and make her own way. She lived modestly, shared an apartment with a roommate and against her father's wishes, had held a part-time job throughout college. She spent most days working and nights with Reece.

 **Even before starting graduate school Reece had been a man possessed. He had taken the opportunity to continue his research and by August he'd been a full semester ahead.** He used Sydney's time away to immerse himself completely. **He was swamped with papers and research, and she was having the time of her life. All was good.**

 **They soon fell into a rhythm. A hectic dance of classes, work, and bone weary tiredness. Sydney became the star of the office, while Reece shined at the lab. Though she never abused her personal connections or father's influence, her name alone opened doors. In the world of non-profits where many fight for little funding, Sydney Wetherton's pedigree was a plus. Reece plugged away at his thesis, hoping on extending it into a dissertation, dedicating every spare minute to research. He saw Sydney's job as a blessing. She was busy and happy and he was content to have time alone.**

 **Before he knew it, November came and went. He'd forced himself to step away from his studies for Thanksgiving and counted the four days as a loss. Christmas was approaching and he cherished the upcoming school break as an opportunity to work undisturbed. He had access to the laboratory and research library and ramped up his efforts. Although he would miss her, he had been relieved when Sydney announced she would be spending Christmas with her parents in Aspen. She would be back for New Years.**

 **With the chill of January and hopes of warmer days, Sydney's job took flight with the start of the New Year. Though still not the social event season, the charity circuit was always in swing. There were always galas and social functions galore; it was New York after all.**

 **In a surprise to all, Sydney was presented with a new opportunity one week into the New Year. Reece had been overjoyed and proud. He knew Sydney loved her job, and better yet deeply believed in the work the organization did. With the unexpected departure of the Deputy Development Administrator, the Board of Directors had opted to stay in-house to fill the vacancy. Impressed by Sydney's work and enthusiasm she had been offered the position. The new job would put her in charge of programs to attract funding, and solicit support through special events, sponsorships, grants, and endowments.**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 **Sydney Wetherton had grown up rich and privileged, surrounded by the elite of New York. The daughter and only child of Harold and Susan Wetherton, the Wetherton name was well known and regarded in the highest of social circles. One of six children, Harold Wetherton had been the only son of Julius Ezekiel Wetherton, III.**

 **From humble and working class parents, Julius Ezekiel Wetherton, Sr. had made his fortune in the telephone directory business. In the late 1880's with the advent of the telephone directory, Harold's great, great grandfather had talked his brothers into purchasing a small printing company in Connecticut. He quickly secured a contract printing the two-page telephone directory, at a loss. The young company had survived by the sheer will of Julius Wetherton. By the early 1900's he had bought out his brothers and expanded the business to New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. A brilliant financial analyst with little formal education, Julius had foreseen the looming economic crisis of 1929 and had secured their holdings. Where fortunes had been lost and many a man ruined, the Wetherton's not only endured but thrived. By 1945 Wetherton Printing was solidly established and Julius Ezekiel Wetherton had never looked back.**

 **Harold Wetherton had been raised with five doting sisters in a family that valued hard work and good character. He'd worked in the family business every summer since he was old enough to wear pants. His only indulgence had been sailing. His father had insisted a hard day's work would provide more character and benefit than any summer camp, but had encouraged young Harold's love of the sea. Harold earned the right to sail by working at the plant. Harold Wetherton was rich, but far from entitled.**

 **He'd obtained his degree in Computer Science from Perdue University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Under the watchful eyes of his sisters, he'd returned home to help run the family business. Fascinated by video games at an early age, Harold had swiftly guided his father into branching out into computers and software. By 2010, when he'd been appointed President of Wetherton Holdings, Harold Wetherton had managed to pilot the company into the forefront of the digital age. Sydney Wetherton alone could fund the non-profit she worked for without a problem, but as the new Deputy Development Administrator, Sydney Wetherton expected to earn every penny donated.**

 **Reece had taken a rare day off to surprise Sydney on her first day as Deputy Development Administrator. She'd proudly shown him her small office and introduced him to her assistant and staff. He'd surprised her with a shiny glass desk nameplate with her name and new title, and taken her to lunch. Later he had walked her back to the office and kissed her goodbye, promising more celebration later that night. Reece Castle loved this woman and his heart swelled with pride, love, and admiration. He was going to marry her one day.**

 **The frenzied schedule of new social obligations kept Sydney on the go. New responsibilities and commitments would soon be testing the carefree lifestyle they had known.**

 **It had all come to a head on a Friday night.**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

He and Sydney had never had a real fight. Reece was the more levelheaded of the twins. Where Jake's temper could be pushed over the edge with a slight nudge, Reece needed to be dragged over the cliff. But this night he was steering himself over that edge.

It had been building up. The entire week he'd known the eventuality of the discussion. Since starting the job, Sydney had been working long hours and extra days, but since her promotion, in January her schedule had morphed into overdrive. He had been relieved, she was busy and it gave him time to concentrate on his work. He was drowning in periodicals, research papers, and classes. His thesis was a very detailed matter and Anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria was pretty much all he could think about. Prancing around New York attending social events was not a priority. Sydney would just have to understand.

"So, should I meet you there or will you pick me up at my place?" inquired Sydney.

"Pick you up for what?" he'd asked as he looked up from his book.

"The Franklin James Overton Memorial Gala, it's tonight. The Waldorf, eight o'clock. I've been talking about it for months. It's on the calendar. Seriously Reece?"

"Why do rich people always have three names? Jean Paul Getty, John D. Rockefeller, Solomon R. Guggenheim. What is it with these people? The more names the more status?" He was avoiding the subject.

"Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg. I just disproved your hypothesis. Wear your blue suit, it's not black-tie." Sydney stood and headed towards the kitchen.

"Have you looked outside? It's snowing! Syd, you've had this job for three weeks and we've already been to two dinners, and an auction. I'm not going. I have too much work and those things are a waste of time." The minute he'd said it he knew it had been a mistake, but today he just didn't care.

"A waste of time? It's my job, Reece. This is how I make contacts so that we can keep providing services to those that, unlike us, have nothing! I guess I'm wasting my time too? I told you about this over a month ago. I know you're busy and I understand you have a lot of work, but it's not like I just sprung this on you today. Lately, I haven't asked you to accompany me to most things. You skipped the new exhibit opening last Thursday, and last weekend I attended that stupid hockey thing by myself, so you could read! I see you just can't be bothered!" Sydney was upset. Tears were threatening, but anger was winning.

"I just don't have the time!"

"Fine!" she'd said as she slammed the door.

She'd get over it. She'd go to the gala, find her friends, hob-knob with the city's elite, most of whom she knew, and get their promised donation. Tomorrow she'd come over, he would apologize and they would kiss and make up. He set his phone alarm for eight fifteen and went back to his papers. When the alarm sounded he picked up his phone and texted her. _"Have fun and make lots of money."_

Saturday he'd gotten a late start. He figured Sydney had made a night of it with friends and was sleeping in. Not wanting to wake her, he decided not to call. He went for a run to clear his head, returned, showered and sat back down to read. When he walked to the kitchen for a soda he noticed the time, two-forty. He picked up his phone, no missed calls or texts. That was odd. When he called she didn't answer. Only slightly concerned, he pulled up their shared calendar. Obsessively organized, Sydney had been syncing their events since their first semester in college. It provided dates of upcoming commitments and avoided any confusion. He always ignored it, Sydney would always remind him. Not seeing anything for the day, he called her again. Still no answer. Then he got the text.

"Joined my parents in the Hamptons. Will be back Monday."

Perfect, he'd thought. Her mother was always bugging her about spending time with them. Perhaps knowing he was busy she'd taken advantage of the opportunity to do just that. He'd call her Monday and maybe see her for lunch.

With his first year of graduate school half complete and his thesis on track, Reece continued to push forward with his research. His goal of having a leg up for his Ph.D. was of paramount importance to him. Sunday he'd opted to go to the library and read. The apartment was roomy but the walls were thin. Jake and his current flavor of the month were driving him crazy, and most of all interrupting his concentration.

In the midst of a snow storm, his Monday journey was long and miserable. By the time he arrived at the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Building he was drenched. The lab echoed as the empty corridors reminded him it was still early. He joined the others and went about his day. Before he knew it, it was three o'clock. By four thirty, as he headed home he knew something was wrong. Even oblivious Reece understood Sydney was mad.

He went home showered, changed and headed to her apartment. She should be arriving around five thirty as her office was not far. By five forty-five he was knocking on her door. Sydney's roommate Jennifer answered.

"Sydney's not home," she reported as she swung the door open and walked away.

"Thanks, I'll wait," he responded as he closed the door and sat.

Reece and Jennifer were not friends. Jennifer had taken a dislike to him from day one and he simply had not cared to sway her differently. Reece was always polite, but frankly had no interest in making friends. There was no love lost between them. Sydney spent most of her time at his place anyway, so it had never been an issue. He stood when he heard the keys in the door. A surprised Sydney walked in, continued past him to her bedroom; he followed. Sydney turned, placed her palm on his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait for me in the living room. I have to change."

He sat on the couch like a two-year-old on a time-out. A few minutes later he thought he heard the shower. She surely wouldn't make him wait while she showered? He was a patient man and he knew she was upset, so he took a deep breath and waited. Half an hour later, a showered and dressed Sydney exited her bedroom.

"What do you want Reece? I thought you were busy?" she said as she continued to the kitchen.

"Syd, I'm sorry. I know you're mad, but it's just, I had to finish that periodical and we've been to so many of those things lately. I'm sure there's another gala this weekend. I promise I'll go, smile and play nice. Come on, be a sport."

"Be a sport? Really Reece? That's your apology?"

"Well, yes, what else can I say? It's not like I can go back and attend the damn thing. I didn't know it was that important!"

He was no good at this. He and Sydney had always had an uncomplicated relationship. She knew he loved her and he knew she loved him. Even his mother had claimed she was his "one and done." He and Sydney didn't fight. They sometimes argued and usually, he'd admit he was wrong and that was that. Sydney understood him, she knew his quirks and loved him warts and all.

"Look, Reece, this job is important to me. It's the first time people see me for me. I'm not Harold Wetherton's little girl or Susan Wetherton's daughter. I'm Sydney Wetherton, of the _Just a Hand Foundation_. I'm the Sydney Wetherton who is going to clear things up, fix the problem, find the right solution, and most certainly reach out to those that can help. I know you're up to your eyeballs in research, and I know how important your work is; trust me you've made it abundantly clear. But that doesn't make my work less so. I thought this was about us, both of us; apparently, it's just about you." She was crying and Reece was heartbroken.

"I need you to leave. Go home, Reece. Please, just go."

"Syd, please…" his voice had cracked when he'd spoken.

"Reece, just leave." She had said it in a whisper as she wiped away her tears.

Two days later she'd still not called.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Jake knew something was wrong. Reece and Sydney had been inseparable since ninth grade. Once at Columbia, it was pretty much a given; if you found Reece, Sydney was not too far behind and vise-a- versa. He hadn't seen Sydney in almost a week, and all he got from Reece when he asked was a grunt.

He couldn't concentrate and he'd not been to the lab in three days. This had been the longest he'd gone without talking to Sydney since high school. Even when they went on family vacations they'd always called or emailed each other daily; this was not normal. By Friday he'd had enough.

He'd called her and the calls went straight to voicemail. In hopes she'd seen the missed calls, he'd hung-up without leaving a message. He called her office and was told she was in meetings. He'd left messages. After the fifteenth call to her cell, he'd caved in.

"Syd, please call me. I know you're upset. Let's talk, but Syd, please... I miss you." He was not ashamed to beg. He just wanted to hear her voice. They had always been able to talk thing out, why not now?

He'd gone two days without shaving and looked like shit. He'd tried to catch up on his reading but found himself re-reading the same paragraph over and over, checking his phone incessantly and simply wasting his time. Perhaps he'd just drop in again?

He was really not looking forward to the monthly Castle brunch. He dragged himself out of bed and could smell the brewing coffee. He walked to the kitchen to find Jake cup in hand.

"Hey, big brother you look like shit."

Running his fingers through his hair, Reece poured himself a cup of coffee and stood next to Jake.

"I can do without the commentary," he responded.

"Listen, I don't know what's going on, but if you need to talk I'm available. Either way, you better shave before we head to Mom and Dad's because, in your present state, you broadcast _intervention needed._ " Jake got up, walked towards his room, leaving Reece to ponder.

Cab, car or train they normally rode together to Sunday brunch, but today Reece was ready to head out alone.

"Hey, where are you going? It's still early." inquired Jake.

"I need to make a stop. I'll meet you there."

"Wait up, let me put on a shirt and I'll go with you. Just give me five minutes," Jake added.

"Look, I don't know how long I'll be."

"Reece, I know you're going to Sydney's. It's going to take more than a few minutes. If I get there an hour before you Mom and Dad are going to know something's up. If you're trying to keep this quiet, it won't work. Give me five minutes. We'll just ride together."

Five minutes later they were headed to the subway. Within forty minutes he was walking towards Sydney's apartment. As promised, Jake waited a few doors down. Jake didn't know what was going on, but things did not look promising.

Reece made his way to Sydney's door, knocked and held his breath. When Jennifer answered his hopes were dashed. He'd wanted to see Sydney without a referee. By now Jennifer was most definitely aware he and Sydney were in the midst of an argument, and she was not an ally. He knew he was in trouble when she placed her arm between the door and the frame blocking his entrance.

"What do you want?" she'd practically hissed.

"I'm here to see Sydney."

"Well, she's not here, and I don't know when she'll be home; and you are not welcomed."

As she attempted to close the door Reece reached out, holding it ajar. "Do you know where she's at?"

"No, and even if I did I would not tell you. If Sydney wanted you to know where she was, she'd let you know, and obviously, that's not happening. Now let go." Jennifer spat out.

He released the door as she slammed it. Once he straightens things out with Sydney he was going to take care of Ms. Pain in the Ass.

By the look on Reece's face, Jake could tell things had not gone well.

"She's not home. She's probably at her parents. I'd head over there but they usually go out to breakfast and I have no idea where they could be, and she's not taking my calls. This is ridiculous! Why is she still mad? Why won't she talk to me? How am I supposed to apologize, AGAIN, if she won't talk to me?" Reece was frustrated, confused and building up to angry.

"Okay big brother you need to take a breath. I don't know what happened, but you need to revisit what led to the blow-up and see where you went wrong." Jake had said enough.

They flagged down a cab for the ride uptown. The trip provided them a few minutes and Reece was ready to explode anyway.

"All this nonsense is over me not wanting to go to a stupid gala. I've always hated those things, but whenever Sydney wants to go to one, I go. I say no to one and the world ends. What the fuck? It's one silly dinner!" Reece seldom raised his voice and here he was cursing and screaming. Not a good sign.

"Is that what you told Sydney? That it was just a _silly dinner_?" Even Jake knew those were fighting words.

"Well, no; not exactly."

" _Well no, not exactly?_ Great words from someone that deals in precise calculations and detailed findings. You better think hard, cause brother from this end it looks like you're in a world of trouble." Jake was being less than sympathetic, but blunt.

The driver pulled up to their parents building a few minutes later. They headed towards the elevator, waving to Ralph at the front desk. Ralph picked up the phone and announced them. As they exited the elevator their father was opening the door. Reece walked past his father, grunting his greeting.

"What's wrong with sourpuss?" whispered Castle to Jake. Jake shrugged and continued in.

They were greeted by their mother, who proceeded to hug them within an inch of their lives and pepper them with kisses. Kate loved her children and never shied away from showing them. Both she and Castle proceeded to bombard them with a hundred questions. They wanted to know about school, if they'd spoken to Lily, had they seen Alexis and Charlie, and if they had any plans for President's Day weekend. Jake controlled most of the responses. Reece did not mind the chatty Jake driving the conversation. They were eating and talking about nothing in particular when their father had a peculiar question. Why had Reece not taken a picture with Sydney?

"What picture?" an intrigued Reece had asked.

"The one in the paper, on Page Six. Did you guys have a good time at the Awards?"

"What Awards? Where's the paper?" asked Reece as he pushed off the table and headed towards the office.

"Jake?" inquired Kate.

"Sydney hasn't spoken to him in over a week. I'm not sure what happened," added Jake.

Kate walked towards the office to find her son rummaging through the spewed newspaper looking for Page Six.

"Reece? Did you and Sydney have a fight?" a concerned Kate inquired.

"No. Kind of, maybe," he answered.

"We did NOT break up!" He was practically yelling at his mother. He took a deep breath and continued to look for Page Six.

"I did not say you'd broken up, but obviously something happened," added Kate soothingly.

Suddenly his hurried pace came to a screeching halt. There on Page Six, amongst the society announcements and bluster was the picture. A black-tie affair with Sydney dressed to impress. Below it, the caption read, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wetherton accompanied by their lovely daughter Ms. Sydney Wetherton and Mr. Carter Gaylord Whitney, III at the annual Regatta Awards. It was as if he'd been suckered punched. He grabbed hold of the paper and plopped down in his father's chair.

"Reece?"

"What is it with these assholes and three names? Who the hell is Carter Gaylord Whitney, III? Who gives their kid three last names?"

Kate's heart broke for her son. This six-foot-four man sounded like an eight-year-old who'd lost his best friend.

"Sweetie, what happened? Come and sit. Let's talk. I promise it will help," she added as she patted the seat next to her.

She could swear he was about to cry. The last time she'd seen her boys cry was at Martha's funeral; they had all been inconsolable. Whatever was going on was going to tear at him. Sydney Wetherton had been a fixture in Reece's life since they were old enough to walk. She remembered telling Castle their son had found his "one and done" one Thursday morning when the boys were in tenth grade. They had been home with a serious stomach virus. Even though the school emailed them every morning, Sydney Wetherton had forced her parents to drive her over every day after school in order to give them their homework. Afraid they were contagious, Susan Wetherton had insisted Sydney stay outside. Every afternoon, she would sit by the front door and read the assignment to Reece. Every afternoon, regardless how sick he felt Reece would wait for Sydney.

Reece sat there, head down with the Page Six article burning a hole in his hands. Kate took the section from him and read the article.

"Reece, you know how I feel about these articles. Unless it's a pronoun, it's probably wrong or exaggerated. I wouldn't put too much stock in anything they print. You know the Wetherton's belong to the Yacht Club, so the Regatta Awards is something Harold probably sponsors. What I don't understand is why you didn't go with Sydney."

"She didn't ask," he responded in a mumbled tone.

"Honey, you have to start at the beginning," an exasperated Kate added.

Reece proceeded to tell his mother about Sydney's new position and the constant social obligations. He was tired of going to functions. He had bailed out of the Franklin James Overton Memorial Gala, but did not think it was a "big deal." After all, there was one of these things every other week. They'd always bumped into someone else from her office, so why couldn't she just go with them? He had important work going on and if he wanted to make strides in his research he needed to be dedicated to it one hundred percent.

"Reece had you already agreed to attend the gala?" asked his mother in a stern voice.

"Well, yes and no. Sydney and I have a shared calendar so we see what each other has coming up. Sydney said it had been on there for months, but seriously I didn't notice."

"Didn't notice or didn't look?" inquired his mother.

"I never put anything on the stupid thing. It's Sydney's calendar. She usually tells me about something and that's it. But I'm swamped at the lab and Sydney knows it. It's never been a problem before, now all of a sudden she gets this stupid job and I'm supposed to drop everything?" He'd added in frustration.

"Reece? Did you just hear what you said? Did you actually pay attention to the self-serving, egotistical words that flowed out of your mouth? If that's what you told Sydney no wonder she's angry. I know your work is important, and that you have dedicated a lot of effort into this oxygen photo-something-or-other bacteria, but…"

"Anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria Mom, and it is important. This can provide clues to the history of our planet as well as others. This is astronomical research and I was lucky to get selected. I'm working with some of the top leaders in the field." Reece was stating his case.

"Okay, perhaps you need to just focus on that. After all, you just said if you wanted to get ahead you had to dedicate _one hundred percent_ of yourself to your work. Maybe that dedication won't be fair to Sydney. She's just getting her own career started, and by the looks of things, she's excelling at what she does. She's also dedicating herself to her work. Can you imagine how easy it would be for her to simply call everyone on the social registry and hit them up for donations? Instead, she's knocking on doors and hitting all the circuits. We even wrote her organization a check, your father was very impressed with all the work they do. Sydney never called us, but word gets around. However, perhaps you're right, your work requires a lot of dedication, maybe you and Sydney should take a break, see where things lead in a year or two; after you've completed graduate school." Kate was purposely painting a picture Reece would not like.

Reece remained silent. Kate could tell his brain was on overdrive. Reece approached most things with precision, and careful thought, eventually he would figure this out too.

"Reece, you and Sydney have been together since high school. You both just graduated, she just got this great job and you didn't even take a breath before jumping into the graduate program. Both of you have grown, perhaps that growth has led you in different directions," a sympathetic Kate announced.

"Maybe for her, but not me! And quite frankly I think it sucks and it's wrong of her to be photograph with some preppy ass yacht boy. Carter Gaylord Whitney, III, what nineteenth-century trust fund type name is that? He probably wears pastel shirts and loafer year round. Syd is so not into those types. She hates those self-righteous, rich, entitled, yacht racing assholes. I know that!" He had spilled the commentary in one single breath.

"Well, it appears you've been doing some of the self-righteous, entitled, spoiled thing yourself. And don't forget you have a trust fund, and a middle name, so don't be too quick to judge." Kate had informed him.

"But we don't walk around like the Carter Whitney's of the world. We're not snotty or rich enough, and you know that's true Mom."

"Do you know him? Because he may be a perfectly decent, hardworking person. Reece, I'm not talking about money son. Did you or did you not tell Sydney your work was more important than hers? Did you or did you not dismiss her event as a "waste of time?" Your words sweetie, not mine. And Reece, I hope you did not tell Sydney what you just told me. Because if you called Sydney's job stupid, you should be ashamed." Kate was pointing thing out that needed to be said.

"No, I did not tell her that. Mom, I don't think Sydney's job is stupid, and I'm proud of her. But I never expected she'd have such a demanding schedule. In a way, it's great because I'm very busy, but I can't go to all these things."

"Can't or won't?" inquired Kate.

"Honestly, can't. Even though I hate them, the honest truth is I can't!"

"And did you tell Sydney that? I'm guessing you didn't."

"I shouldn't have to tell her!" added Reece in mumbled outrage.

"Oh, so on top of being a caring, and smart human being, Sydney is expected to be psychic? Is that what you're saying?" rhetorically inquired Kate as she swatted Reece across the back on his head.

"Ouch, why'd you hit me?"

"Listen here Reece Houghton Castle. Sydney Wetherton is a thoughtful, smart, loving young woman who is working hard to establish herself in her field. She is not your secretary. If you think that girl needs to pander to you, you are delusional. She's a beautiful, smart woman. How long do you think it will take before men line up and ask her out? How long do you think it will take for her to find someone who will appreciate her and eagerly escort her anywhere? Lucky for you, she's in love with you."

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side?" a wounded Reece declared.

"Sweetie, I love you with all my heart, but I will not cater to your whims of fancy. You need to give this whole situation some serious thought," a steadfast Kate replied as she left the office.

Brunch had been a painfully long ordeal. All he could think about was Sydney and Carter Gaylord Whitney, III. He and Jake said goodbye to their parents and by three o'clock they were headed home.

Still angry and upset, as they walked towards the subway Reece turned to his brother and asked, "How do you feel about murder?"

"Personally, I'm against it. But what do you have in mind?" Jake had responded with a laugh.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Sydney Wetherton had been in love with Reece Castle since fifth grade. By senior year she knew one day she'd marry him. The only question was how long she'd have to wait for Reece to realize the inevitable.

The awards ceremony had been on the calendar for weeks; she had deleted it just three days prior. Her father was to be presented with the Yacht Club's Lifetime Humanitarian Award for his support of the Clubs summer swim initiative. It had been Harold Wetherton's idea to start the program. A report of the drowning of three ten-year-olds who attempted to rescue a friend who had jumped in a lake on a hot summer day had prompted his desire to help. Sydney had been around the same age and he had recalled the tearful mother of one of the boy's, report her son could not swim but had tried to save his friend. With help from the Parks and Recreation Department and several private organizations, Harold Wetherton had single handily succeeded in taking free swim lessons to underserved communities. In the process, he'd even managed to get a few pools built. Now he was being honored by his peers and fellow members. Sydney had contemplated reminding Reece of the event but had changed her mind when days earlier he had stumbled through an unacceptable apology. She'd deleted the event from the calendar, but deep down hoped Reece would remember; he hadn't.

She didn't spend the night at her parents often. However, after playing keep-away with Carter Whitney all night, she'd fled with them when they'd left. Her room had remained as she'd left it and the surroundings brought her comfort. She got out of bed and headed downstairs. It was just past eleven. Her parents were in the kitchen eating, reading the Times. Wanting to spend time with their daughter, Susan and Harold had decided to eat in and skip brunch. Sydney kissed her parents, poured herself a cup of coffee, sat down and grabbed the paper.

She'd seen the picture on Page Six and groaned. Nursing a slight hangover, the realization of the night's event only contributed to her misery. Carter had photobombed the picture and the timing could not have been more perfect. He had zeroed in on her at the start of the night and had been as difficult to get rid of as a tic on a donkey's ass. She had finally enlisted the help of her father to entertain the pesky pretty-boy. She cursed, got up, threw the paper in the trash and headed to the shower.

By now Reece had probably seen the picture. Though not a fan of Page Six, the Castle's relished the thorough dissection of the Sunday Times; and the coverage of the Yacht Club Awards had been painstakingly covered and photographed. There was no way to miss the picture.

Her parents had not said a word. Susan Wetherton had itched to ask why Reece had not attended but had refrained from medaling. Perhaps she would call Kate and find out if she knew what was going on. For now, she was just happy to have her little girl home.

After a hot shower, she scrounged up some old jeans and a tee shirt, found an old pair of converse in the closet, dressed and still felt lousy. She debated calling Reece but talked herself out of it and into a snit. Why should she call? She didn't owe him an explanation. Even if she'd gone with dipshit Carter, it wasn't like they were engaged or anything of the sort. Hadn't he essentially told her he was too busy for a relationship? Was that what had happened? Had they broken up? The more she argued with herself the more perplexed and convoluted her thinking got. By the time she ran downstairs to her mother she was in tears.

"Sydney sweetheart, what's wrong? What happened?" a concerned Susan Wetherton inquired as she hugged her daughter.

Sydney Wetherton could not be consoled. Her sobs were heart-wrenching. Caressing her daughter, Susan walked them towards the den and sat on the couch. Harold Wetherton could handle just about anything except his little girl crying. When she started hiccupping he went back to the kitchen, retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator, returned and handed it to her as he wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"I'll leave you two alone," he added as he kissed his daughter on the temple.

Susan Wetherton stared at her husband in disbelieve, mouthing _"coward,"_ as he shrugged his shoulders and made a quick getaway. For the next hour, in between sobs, Sydney recounted the argument with Reece.

"Sydney, you and Reece have been together since forever. I dare to say he's been your only boyfriend. I don't remember you dating anyone else. If I recall correctly, he was always there…"

"That's not true. I dated Michael Danson in eighth grade. Even went to a dance with him. He was my first kiss," Sydney had interrupted. Scrunching her nose as she recalled the awkward, slobbery kiss with Michael Danson.

"Alright, so you went to a dance someone else. What I'm trying to say is you two have been together a very long time. In the last five years, you've graduated college, gotten an exciting job, met new people and expanded your horizons. Reece, well Reece is still trying to figure out his life. Now he's finishing graduate school hoping to… I don't even know what? Is he studying some type of bacteria? Is that even a career? Don't get me wrong, your father and I love Reece, he's a wonderful young man. We've watched him grow up and Rick and Kate must be very proud. But honey, sometimes we grow apart from people we love. You and Reece, well, perhaps your lives have come to a fork in the road. Maybe this spat… maybe it's not such a bad thing. Perhaps it will give you both perspective, time to reevaluate your relationship." Susan Wetherton did not want to overstep, but Sydney had set her sights on young Mr. Castle at an early age; maybe it was time for Sydney to spread her wings.

"How could you even say such a thing? There is no _fork in the road_ Mother! Reece and I have been on the same path since high school, and that has not changed! I talked myself into a frenzy today and that's why I was crying. Reece has always been loving and caring, and aside from this brain fart last week he's always been accommodating to whatever I've wanted. He is under tremendous pressure. Do you know he is the youngest among the researchers? No, of course not! Reece is a brilliant scientist who will one day help discover stuff even I don't understand. I don't need to _"reevaluate"_ anything, much less my relationship with him. This is not a petulant crush Mother; Reece is the only man I have ever loved and I have no desire to be with anyone else. Now I gotta go." Sydney wiped the few tears from her eyes and walked towards the stairs.

Sydney headed upstairs and retrieved her purse and telephone. As she returned to the living room she found her father deep in conversation with her mother. She could guess what the topic was.

"Dad, can I borrow your car? I promise to return it later."

"Tell you what, just drop it off at the office tomorrow. I'll have your mother drive me in." Harold Wetherton took the keys from the counter, handed them to his daughter, kissed her cheek and whispered, "Good luck Tinker."

Her father had not called her Tinker in years. He'd given her the nickname when she was six. She had developed an affinity for dressing like Tinker Bell and had refused to wear anything but her Tinker Bell costume the entire summer. But once school started it had presented a problem. The Tinker Bell outfit was not an approved **Faircroft Academy** uniform. Her father had convinced her, her Tinker Bell underwear and tee shirt made her a secret Tinker Bell spy. The charade had been a success, and Sydney Wetherton had worn Tinker Bell undergarments through second grade. Sydney smiled, hugged her father and thanked him.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

"Listen brother, we can't plot murder sober and it's too cold to keep walking. How about we head to the Old Haunt, we're not that far," Jake had suggested.

"They'll call Dad if we get drunk," Reece had reminded Jake.

"Yea, but we drink for free."

They turned left at the next cross street and walked the six blocks towards their father's bar.

Richard Castle had taken great pride in maintaining the nostalgic décor and feeling of the Old Haunt. Purchased on a whim to prevent it from being turned into another preppy sports franchise, the bar had succeeded. Thirty years later, he still owns what had turned out to be a favorite spot for true New Yorkers. Profitable and always a treat, Castle continued to enjoy owning the neighborhood watering hole.

The boys walked in and were greeted by Carlos and Joe. Joe had managed the bar since the twins could remember. After bartending for several years, Carlos had been promoted to Assistant Manager a few years back and was being groomed to take over for Joe who was eyeing retirement. They took a seat at their father's table and waited.

"Hey, boys. To what do we owe the pleasure? Haven't seen you rug rats since last summer," Joe greeted.

"Figured this would be a cheap place to have a few. After all, we're poor grad students," added Jake.

"Well, you know your father gave us strict orders. You boys aren't allowed to drink for free anymore… Lucky for you, we're having a three for one special today," Joe responded with a wink.

"I'll get Carlos to bring you two beers. Let us know if you need anything else. Nice seeing you boys."

"You too Joe; and thanks," added Reece.

Two beers later, Jake had managed to get absolutely nothing from Reece. When Carlos came to retrieve the now empty mugs, Jake asked for two whiskey's neat. Perhaps Reece needed stronger courage.

"So, are you going to tell me who you want to murder? After all, it's only fair I be able to identify the target," Jake declared as he sipped his drink.

"Carter Gaylord Whitney, III," announced Reece as he shot back his drink.

"That prick?" replied Jake.

"You know him?"

"No, but anyone with that many names and a roman numeral has to be a prick," assured Jake.

Jake waved Carlos over, requested a beer for himself and another whiskey for Reece. Carlos returned, placed the frothy mug of beer and the bottle of whiskey on the table and walked away.

"I fucked up brother. I fucked up big time," a melancholy Reece confessed.

"Do you know Sydney has not once, ever, refused to attend Grandma Jo's fundraising events? Not once. Even when we were in high school! She's even gone to all of Mom's political chicken dinners. Not to mention all the plays for Grams theater group. Remember that boring department dinner last year? Sydney sat there and listened to all those technical speeches, never complained, not once! But me? I get pissy about one stupid gala! I'm the ass, not that douche Carter Gaylord Whitney, III he just took advantage of my assholeness," affirmed Reece.

"I don't think that's a word. But I get what you're saying," sympathized Jake.

"Why shouldn't she go to the Yacht Club? But couldn't she pick someone not so, so…"

"Assholish?" volunteered Jake

"Exactly!" agreed Reece.

Reece was not a heavy drinker. Though their parents had never preached abstinence, they had advocated responsible alcohol consumption. Much to Kate's relief, none of the Castle kids had been heavy drinkers. After two beers and four whiskeys, Reece was fading fast. Jake needed to put a stop to this before Reece lived to regret it.

"Just tell me one thing?" Reece implored his brother.

'Anything bro, what do you want me to tell you?"

"Where the hell did she find that dickwad? Did you see that picture? He wasn't even looking at her. Can you imagine? She was the prettiest girl there and that asshole wasn't looking at her! I can't keep my eyes off her, ever!" an indignant Reece shouted.

"So you're mad, but not because Sydney was with another man, but because that other man was not paying enough attention to her?" Jake clarified.

"Yes! No! No, I'm mad at the asshole, not Sydney. I deserved her leaving my ass, but she deserves someone that worships her. Not some asshole that just wants his picture in the society pages."

His brother was blitzed. Reece had been burning the candle at both ends the last two years, and Jake was sure the thing with Sydney had been a culmination of stress and poor timing. Since college Reece had become too clinical, too measured. Jake called Carlos over, asked for a glass of water and the bill. Carlos returned glass of water in hand, announcing the drinks were on the house. Jake took the whiskey bottle away from Reece, forced him to drink the water, got him into his coat and requested a car. Ten minutes later he placed two twenty's on the table, grabbed his brother and headed out the door.

"Can we go see Sydney?" an inebriated Reece slurred.

"She's not home dude. We'll call her when we get home, okay?" a sympathetic Jake advised.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know Reece, but we'll call her."

"We have to find her Jake," with those last words, Reece leaned his head back and drifted off.

It was official, his brother was drunk. He walked Reece to his room, pulled off the covers and plop him on the bed.

It was bad, Reece was not the type to drink till he passed. He grabbed the paper to see what all the fuss was about. There, in splendid color was Sydney, her parents and Carter Gaylord Whitney, _the_ III front and center. In other pictures of the event, you found Sydney scattered about, with Carter never far behind. A prominent photo of Mr. Wetherton accepting his award framed the article. Funny, they pretty much knew the same group of people and he didn't recall ever hearing about that guy.

So, Reece was upset the guy was not paying substantial attention to Sydney. His brother had been in love with Sydney Wetherton since elementary school and Jake could not imagine those two apart. During the very awkward birds and bee's discussion with their father, Reece had inquired how a person knew when they were in love. Being the wise man he is, their father had quoted their mother. " _According to your mom, when you're in love, all the songs make sense."_ By all accounts, Jake was sure the songs had made sense for Reece the minute he'd met Sydney Wetherton.

Jake ordered pizza and settled in quietly, making sure Reece was not disturbed. He grabbed the paper and studied it. That was not Sydney's date. He didn't know if she met him there, or what, but she did not go to this shindig with him. That he was sure of. First off, he was never really _with_ her, he was just there. Second, he was most definitely not Sydney's type. And if the intent was to make Reece jealous she would have been arm in arm with what's his name. Nope, this was not her date.

Jake had to admit the rift between Sydney and Reece was disconcerting. He was sure Reece was responsible for the brunt of the problem, but in his brother's defense, Reece was at times oblivious. Perhaps the relationship had gotten to a place of complacency. Reece and Sydney had been together since high school and maybe, just maybe, they had gotten too comfortable. Possibly they'd been taking each other for granted. This spat might serve as a reminder of how important they were to each other. Reece Castle and Sydney Wetherton completed one another and no silly argument could keep them apart. For a minute he contemplated playing cupid, going to Sydney's and fixing the mess. But Jake knew that idea was so wrong on so many levels, he couldn't even begin to explain.

In the meantime, he needed to find out who this Carter Gaylord Whitney, _the_ III was. He pulled out his computer and started researching.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

The drive home had taken her over an hour. She had debated going straight to Reece's but had thought better of it. It was Castle brunch Sunday and she knew he'd be at his parents at least until four; it was just now three o'clock. She headed home and prayed she'd find a parking spot.

She was quite a sight. No make-up, barely brushed hair, worn-out jeans, old converse sneakers and a glittery blue clutch. She thanked her lucky stars to have found a spot just a block from her building, hit the door lock to her father's Mercedes and walked home, freezing. She took the stairs not wanting to wait for the elevator, inserted her key in the lock and collapsed on the couch.

Hearing the door Jennifer walked to the living room just in time to see her roommate drop down on the couch. Well, if nothing else, she must have had a hell of a night. Sydney had left dressed to impress, in a dress which probably cost more than two months' rent, and returned in what looked, liked borrowed hand me downs.

"Reece was here looking for you. I told him to get lost. He was not happy. But on a brighter note, loved the pictures with the new guy," exclaimed Jennifer with a smile.

"There is no _new guy_. When was Reece here? What did he say? What did he want?" inquired Sydney.

"I'm guessing he wanted to talk to you. It was around ten-ish or so? Asked if I knew where you were. I told him if you wanted him to know where you were, you would have told him. Personally, I think you're better off," declared Jennifer.

Without a response, Sydney stood and walked to her bedroom. She looked in the mirror, groaned and plopped on her bed. She pulled her phone from her pocket and called Reece. Eight rings, no answer. She called him three more times and still no answer. Maybe he was at the library. Before she knew it, be it exhaustion or heartache, Sydney had drifted off to sleep.

It was six o'clock when she'd awaken. She changed, brushed her teeth and called Reece. By now he'd surely be home. Again no answer. Now she was worried. She grabbed her purse and headed out. Opting to take the subway Sydney walked towards the station four blocks away. The ride across town would allow her some time to think. Whatever happened, there was no way she was going to just let things go unresolved. She and Reece had been together too long. He had been wrong, she was not about to apologize for the whole affair, and she was not about to let him off the hook. As difficult as it might be, they needed to fix this or admit they now wanted different things. Perhaps her mother had a point. The thought brought her to tears.

Reece would not be happy. The forty-five-minute trek from her apartment was not something he liked her doing late at night, quite frankly some days it could be hairy. It was eight, she should have taken a cab or driven her father's car. She had not been thinking. By the time she got to his apartment it would be well past nine. As her stop approached she still had no idea what she would say. What she did know was Reece Castle owed her a proper apology. She exited the station, took a left onto Cathedral Parkway and walked the block and a half to Morningside Drive.

Jake was in the shower when he heard the front door. Afraid a drunk Reece was attempting a getaway, he grabbed a towel and headed to the living room. There to his surprise, he encountered Sydney walking in.

"Hey, Syd," Jake greeted.

"Hey. Is Reece home?" Sydney inquired.

"He's in his room. But…" Jake added as he walked towards Sydney.

Sydney's lip quivered as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I tried calling but he didn't answer. He… he's… he's a pigheaded, self-absorbed ass," she'd finally managed.

Jake could not help the smile that escaped him. He took Sydney by the hand and guided her towards the couch.

"Come on, sit down. Reece can wait. Let me get some clothe on and we'll talk," a sympathetic Jake added.

Jake hurried back to his bedroom grabbed a pair of sweatpants and returned to the living room. Noticing the crying Sydney, he was tempted to make a military style about-face and head back to his room. But Sydney was his friend too, he needed to suck it up. Crying women always unnerved him.

"Did he tell you what happened? Of course not! Because he's probably not sure anything's wrong. He's so involved in his work, he doesn't see he shares the world with other people! I've been more than patient. I understand the importance of his work, but this last year it's like my life doesn't matter. I don't know this Reece! I'm tired of being taken for granted. Jake, God knows I love him, but if this is the life he expects me to live, I'll pass. This was an awful idea…" Sydney hiccupped as she stood to leave.

"Sydney, wait! Reece is in his room passed out. If you called and he didn't answer it's because he's unconscious, not because he's ignoring you. We stopped by your place on the way to brunch, but you weren't home. Apparently, Jennifer was less than welcoming. He was really upset by the pictures on Page Six. He was not impressed by your date."

"He was not my date! I don't even know the guy!" interrupted Sydney.

"I guessed as much. If it's any consolation, Reece has not been to class the past few days." Jake added.

Jake told Sydney how Reece confessed he had been responsible for the entire mess. Reece admitted his first apology was lacking and not what he had intended. Their father had mentioned the photos, innocently wondering where Reece had been. Reece had been blindsided. Jake advised her a drunken Reece had taken umbrage to Carter Gaylord Whitney, III not paying enough attention to her in any of the pictures.

"According to my brother you should be worshipped," a smiling Jake added.

"Look Syd, whatever happened between you and Reece is between the two of you. The only thing I know is that you guys have been together too long to let some stupid argument get between you. Hear him out, please. Just talk to him. Although right now he's in no condition to make sense of anything." Jake stood and headed back to his room.

Sydney walked to Reece's room and quietly opened the door. There, still fully clothed minus his shoes laid Reece. They would talk tomorrow. She took one of his tee shirts from a drawer, changed and laid down next to him. Sometime later she felt his arms pulling her close.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

It was six a.m. when she awoke. Reece was still asleep and she needed to get up. She grabbed her things and quietly entered the bathroom. A few minutes later she made her way to the kitchen. Jake had started the coffee and she was eternally grateful. While she waited for it to brew she emailed her assistant, she would be in late.

Jake soon exited and joined her in the kitchen. Sydney poured them both the freshly brewed nectar and sat at the counter. He had planned on staying home to write but had reevaluated that decision. Both he and Sydney could hear the shower, it would only be a matter of minutes before Reece joined them. He grabbed his laptop and headed to Starbucks while he waited for the Butler Library at Columbia to open.

Reece felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Not only was he hung-over, but he was exhausted. He grabbed his phone and texted his lab partner. He would not be coming in today. As he entered the bathroom he saw his reflection in the mirror and groaned. He turned the shower to cold, pulled the handle and stepped in.

Reece tried to shake the cobwebs out of his head, but it was futile. He needed to talk to Sydney. He would head to her office and wait until she arrived. He hated to sandbag, her but all he wanted was an opportunity to talk. He opened the medicine cabinet, shook out two Advil's from the bottle and swallowed them dry. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt and head to the kitchen. He needed coffee. He stopped dead in his tracks. There, seated at the kitchen counter was Sydney. She stood, walked around the counter and poured him a cup of coffee.

"Thanks," he softly uttered.

Sydney nodded, topped off her coffee and returned to her seat.

"I'm sorry about the gala, I should have gone," Reece proclaimed.

"Reece, this isn't just about the gala. I feel like I'm intruding lately. You canceled at the last minute, I had to go alone; and that text! _"_ _Have fun and make lots of money."_ You know how bad that sounded?"

"I'm sorry, didn't think that one through. As a matter of fact, didn't think much through that night," a remorseful Reece added.

"I'm sorry about Page Six," Sydney stated.

"It's okay," replied Reece as he took a sip from his coffee.

"It's okay? I'm photographed with some other man and all you have to say is, _it's okay_?" Sydney inquired.

Elbows on the counter, Reece leaned his head into his hand and kneaded his forehead.

"Of course it's not okay. What I meant was I know the pictures weren't your fault, that's all. I don't want to fight Syd. I really don't," he'd sighed.

"I don't either. But we need to talk, and if you're too hung-over for a conversation, we can do it some other time. Maybe we can meet tomorrow. Besides, it's almost time for you to head to the lab, you're gonna be late." A resigned Sydney replied.

"I'm not going in today. I was actually heading to your office. I was going to wait for you. You're right, we need to talk."

They went through the pot of coffee while they talked. Reece apologized and pled his case. He explained he had not meant to suggest her work was not important. He could not excuse his lack of sensitivity. He wanted to be there for her, but would not lie, he could not always escort her to all these functions. Sydney listened. She told him how she felt his focus had changed him this last year. She acknowledged his work and dedication but confessed she did not think she could handle a life where there was no room for anything but his work. She wanted to be someone's partner, not an afterthought. She would always be his greatest cheerleader and a friend, but she needed someone who would cheer her on too.

"Reece, I've loved you my whole life. We became who we are together. Perhaps people have a point, maybe we need to reevaluate our relationship," she'd said through her tears. "A time-out of sorts; time apart to think and honestly look at what we want."

"Syd, I will do whatever you want, but I don't need any time-out… I just want you to be happy," he'd barely gotten the words out.

"I need to go. I'll call; please give me a few days. I need some time," she'd added as she grabbed her purse.

"I'm sorry Syd."

She had gotten the apology she wanted, but her heart was broken. She had never made it to the office that day.

Jake returned home around one, to find Reece sacked out on the couch, Sydney nowhere to be found. Apparently, things had not gone as expected. Jake tried to catch the door, but it shut a bit harder than he expected, waking Reece up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Jake added.

"It's fine, I needed to get up anyway. Won't be able to sleep tonight," a groggy Reece added.

"Everything okay? You and Syd? You guys clear things up?" a hopeful Jake inquired.

"Looks like we're taking a _time-out_ to reevaluate. Whatever the fuck that means!"

"It means just that. No more, no less. Look Reece, you and Syd… it's just, you two have sort of always been. Maybe Syd has a point. Take a breather, let's face it you never had to work at catching Sydney, your relationship was seamless. If you love her, fight for her," Jake volunteered.

"All of a sudden you're the Love Doctor? You, who won't date a woman more than a month because it gets _too complicated_? You're giving me advice," an annoyed Reece rebuffed.

"You're right, I'm no expert. All I know is the way you look at Sydney, I've always envied that." Jake grabbed a soda from the fridge and headed to his room.

Monday was a wash and by the looks of it, Tuesday promised to be no better. He made it to the lab early hoping to drown himself in work. He had replayed the conversation over and over again. It was looped in his brain. Sydney had had a point, he had been wrapped up in his work and his studies. Inadvertently, he'd shoved Sydney aside. In a way, it had been intentional. Logic dictated if he excelled he would be able to get a coveted spot for his doctorate. He was a researcher and if he wanted to make a name for himself he needed to get into a top notch program in his field. This was their future, theirs, his and Sydney's. But he had failed to communicate that to her.

Wednesday he sent her flowers. Thursday a bitter cold swung through. The ride to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics had felt like a trek through Antarctica. It had been four days. He had thought about Sydney every minute of each day, but she had still not called. She'd said " _a few day_ s," a few days was two, maybe three, not four! He was giving her the time she'd asked for, but he was beginning to feel hopeless. Friday he'd had to control the urge to camp out on her door step. How could he fight for her if he couldn't talk to her? He'd walked away from his phone to grab some notes when it rang. He'd lunged at the table, miscalculating and falling flat on his ass, banging his forehead on the corner of the table in the process. Cursing loudly, he took a breath and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, son! How's the Castle Einstein?" a chirpy Castle replied.

"Hey, Dad. I'm good. What can I do you for?" Reece responded, hoping his father would buy the nonchalant response.

"Well, I'm here at Trinity Church Cemetery doing a little research and was wondering, since I'm so close, if you'd join me for lunch? You are allowed out of that mad scientist laboratory aren't you?" Castle countered.

Did his father also believe he had no life outside the lab? Was that what everyone thought? Reece shook his head and answered. "Yes Dad, I can come and go as I please. I have to finish one last entry, but it shouldn't take more than half an hour if that okay? Name it," a defeated Reece added.

"Perfect. How about that BBQ place right off Broadway and 166 St. I'll see you there in half an hour, give or take." Castle replied.

Reece sighed, building up the energy he'd need to pull off this charade. By the time he'd finish the paperwork his head was throbbing and the goose egg protruding from the right corner of his forehead only added insult to injury. At least his father had picked a nearby spot.

Forty-five minutes later Reece Castle entered the restaurant to find his father holding court, and the staff laughing away. By the evidence on his father's face, he'd been there awhile, already availing himself to a portion of the award winning ribs.

"Hey, Dad."

Castle stood to greet his son. "Guy's this is my son Reece, the mad scientist," a laughing Castle added with pride.

Soon father and son were left to their meal. Castle had selected a table towards the back, away from the busy traffic of the popular eatery. The lunch rush was over, and few customers remained. Busboys busied themselves cleaning tables as staff went about refilling sauces and napkin holders; no doubt in preparation for the dinner crowd. Reece talked about his work to an attentive Castle and Castle pretended to understand Reece's painstaking description of his work.

"Well, I'm glad to see all is well. Guess you and Sydney patched thing up," added Castle as he shoved a fork full of baked beans in his mouth.

Castle immediately caught Reece's tell. Whenever Reece was trying to hide something he would bite at the right corner of his lower lip, just like his mother. Castle put down his fork looked at his son and smiled.

"I take it things haven't quite worked themselves out yet?"

"Why would you say that?" asked Reece as he avoided his father's inquisitive look.

"If I'm wrong in my assessment, I apologize. But if I'm not and you need to talk… Well, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" His children would never be too old to talk to their father.

Reece tossed his head back, inhaling deeply.

"I don't know Dad… I don't know."

"You don't know what Reece?" asked his concerned father.

What I'm going to do. Sydney, what I'm going to do about Sydney. She said we need time to reevaluate our relationship. Maybe we no longer want the same things. That's just bullshit! It's been a week since that damn gala. She said it was about more than the gala. We talked Monday, she said she needed a few days; that was Monday! I know I've been an ass, and I've spent the last year primarily concentrating on school and the lab, but… Honestly, I really hadn't noticed how much I'd been ignoring everyone, especially Sydney. The doctoral program I want to get into is limited to four universities. Do you understand how competitive that is? Sure I don't doubt I'll get into _a_ doctoral program, but to get into one of the school's that offers the targeted research I'm interested in? That's going to take more than just good grades and a few recommendation letters." Reece combed his hair back with his fingers and winched as he brushed the large bump on his forehead.

Castle pointed to the protrusion on his son's forehead, "Since when is lab work a contact sport?"

"Since your son became a klutz."

"Reece, do you love Sydney?" a serious Castle asked.

"Dad…"

"No, be honest, do you love Sydney or are you so used to having her around you've just gotten comfortable? Because if that's the case, you're not being fair to her, or you for that matter. Trust me, I've been there, and it took your grandmother to point it out to me. As for the few days, she asked for… take it from me, a few days can sometimes translate into a few months."

Reece remained silent. He and Sydney had been friends since grade school. She had always been there. She'd help him and Jake get in and out of trouble, joined them in some of their wildest pranks and frankly always been a friend. It had taken him forever to muster up the courage to ask her to a dance in ninth grade. They hadn't started seriously dating until the end of high school. By their sophomore year of college, they were practically living together. His father was right, he'd gotten comfortable, but that comfort was because he loved her.

"Jake said the same thing. Told me I never had to work at winning Sydney. Maybe that's it. I'm going to lose her because deep down I truly never won her," a dejected Reece said.

"Listen Reece, your mother and I went through enough trials and tribulations to include all our children's love lives by default. Yes, love isn't easy, but that does not mean it has to be difficult either. Seems to me, you've realized part of the problem. Any relationship worth having is worth fighting for. It's hard work son. You just started the Master's program, give yourself a break. I don't have the answers, I wish I did. I know this is going to sound cheesy, but sometimes love is compiled of cheesy clichés. When I fell in love with your mother, every time I closed my eyes, the one thing I could not imagine was my world without her; still, can't. Can you imagine your world without Sydney? That's what you have to decide." Castle paid the bill, and told Reece to ice the bump on his head, adding, "You know where to find me if you need to talk."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

Saturday and Sunday dragged on with still no word from Sydney. Monday, after a long day at the lab he received an email. He sat down, hesitant to open it. It could not be good news, if it were she would have called. He braced himself and clicked on it.

She hoped he was doing well. She wanted him to know she was taking time for herself, and to sort some things out. She was on her way to Washington, D.C. for two days, for advocacy on additional public funding. The following week she would be in San Francisco for the National Nonprofit Leadership Conference. She would email or call when she was ready. It was simply signed, Syd.

Enough was enough. Granted, she needed time and he was willing to give it to her, but he was not about to sit idly by. This demanded action! And he knew exactly who would help him.

"Jake!" he yelled as he walked into the living room.

Jake rushed out of his room, finding Reece pacing the kitchen. The look on his face was one he hadn't seen in a while. It was the look they got when they were plotting mayhem. Jake laughed, pulled out the counter chair and sat.

"Whatever it is, I'm in!" he said with a laugh.

"I have to get Sydney back, and it's going to take more than flowers. This is going to be a full out Castle love and admiration assault. I need to call Lily." Reece grabbed his phone and dialed his sister.

The minute Lily came on the line Reece explained Sydney's schedule for the next few week. He couldn't be far from her thoughts. This required action and Lily was in D.C. The conversation went as expected. She was suspicious of the weekday call. He loosely explained what was happening, spinning it to be a slight tiff. Lily was not buying it. Jake interceded and spilled the beans. If Reece wanted Lily's help he owed her the truth.

"Ok, so what can I do? You want me to call Sydney? I'm not sure how that would help. And frankly, Reece, if she asked you for time, you should respect that. That's my advice," Lily volunteered.

"No, no. I'm respecting her wishes, I just want to subtly let her know I'm here and I… Well, that I'm here. She's going to be in D.C. this week and I want you to help me with something. Can you find out where she's staying?" declared Reece.

"Reece, I work for the N.E.A., not the C.I.A.!"

"Reece, Sydney is a creature of habit, she places everything on her calendar. Do you still have access to it?" a smug Jake interrupted.

Reece pressed the calendar and smiled through a huge exhale. There, like clockwork was her schedule. He grabbed a pen and paper from the kitchen junk drawer and noted the hotels and flights. Sydney might catch on and delete the information, he was taking no chances.

"Lily, she'll be in D.C. Wednesday through Friday. She fly's back late Friday. She's staying someplace called The Darcy," a jubilant Reece announced.

"That's actually a few block from my place. I walk past it every morning. What exactly am I supposed to do Reece? I thought you two had outgrown your shenanigans, so tread lightly," a skeptical Lily added.

"When we went to D.C. for our senior class trip Sydney fell in love with these mini cupcakes. The whole week we would sneak back to that place to buy them. Jake made a bundle in the cupcake black market. Her favorite was the red velvet, still is. We stopped there on the way to the National Cathedral, so I'm thinking maybe it was in Georgetown," Reece reported.

"It was on a corner. I remember because we had to line up around the block the first time we went with the class. I'm positive it was in Georgetown," added Jake.

"Do you two geniuses know how many cupcake places there are in D.C.? Georgetown alone has a dozen or so!" moaned Lily.

"Is there any in particular that's been in business a long time that sort of fits the description?" pleaded Reece.

"There are a few, let me text you their names. They all have websites. Check them out and call me back." Lily hung up and smiled. Reece had never truly romanced a girl or woman. Sydney Wetherton had been a fixture in their home since the twins were in kindergarten. She had teased him about liking Sydney when he was in ninth grade. However, she had soon stopped when she'd noticed his dedication to his friend. Even at that age, Lily Castle envied the way her brother looked at Sydney.

Reece and Jake sat arguing about the different locations. After accessing D.C.'s licensing department they had narrowed it down to three, and only one was on the route taken by most tours to the Cathedral. They high fived and Reece perused the website. The website was the clincher, they had a SoHo location and Sydney had taken him there a few times. They were opened until nine. He settled on his selection and made the call. The lady could not have been nicer. He explained it was a special gift for his girlfriend who was attending a very important meeting. When searching their reviews he had noticed a heart shaped box and was requesting the order be packed in one. He was disappointed when she explained it was a special holiday packaging. However, she promised to see if she could find one in the storage area. She would try, but could not guarantee anything. He indicated his selection, dictated what he wanted on the card, paid for the order, advised his sister would be picking them up and thanked her. Then he called Lily.

"Reece I'll be happy to deliver them for you, but why didn't you just pay for delivery?"

"Because God only knows how long they'd be sitting in a truck or when they would actually be delivered. I want her to have them Thursday after she's done with her meeting at the Capitol. Everything is done. Just make sure the card is included and drop it off at the hotel. Thanks sis, I really appreciate it," a grateful Reece replied.

Lily complimented her brother on the thoughtfulness of his gift, then berated him on the card. Reece explained he had just wished her luck and told her to enjoy the treat. Lily had groaned.

"Reece, this is by far one of the sweetest and most thoughtful gestures I've seen from a man in a long time. It says you remember how much she enjoyed something special, years ago. Even the cupcakes you picked will show Sydney exactly how much attention you pay to what she cares about. Then you attach a dictated sentiment, written by someone in a cupcake shop, wishing her luck with funding? Seriously? Look, you have time, go buy a card, sit down and write something from you, in your handwriting. FedEx that puppy to me and I'll attach it to the cupcakes. Trust me on this." Lily smiled, wished her brother luck and told him she'd be expecting the card.

Reece thanked Lily, told Jake to keep thinking and headed out. It was almost nine o'clock, the only twenty four hour place he could remember was a twenty minutes subway ride. He grabbed his coat and rushed to the station and hopped the train, more confident than he'd been in days. He was going to romance the pants off Sydney Wetherton. Bad metaphor, but the only one he could come up with. He wanted to show Sydney just how much she meant to him and that he would never again take her for granted. He'd entered the store a man on a mission. He headed to the large card selection and started reading. This was going to take a while. An hour later he paid for two of the plain card with no pre-written sentiment. The front of the card had a picture of the world, masked in a serene blue hue. He had thought it was perfect. Sydney Wetherton was after all was his world.

He arrived home to find Jake asleep. He sat at his desk and went about thinking. He pulled out an old notebook and started. Once he was sure his message was perfect he'd copy it onto the card. He'd only bought two and could not afford any mistakes. By three a.m. he'd composed his love letter to Sydney. He sealed it and went to bed.

Tuesday, seven a.m. came early. With barely four hours of sleep, Reece felt more rested than he had in almost two weeks. He started the coffee and went to shower. On his way out he grabbed the card and headed to the lab. For the first time that semester he was arriving with everyone else. His habit of beating everyone in was over. He searched for a FedEx airway bill and filled it in. He placed the card in the large overnight envelope and called for pick-up. The FedEx guy arrived promptly at ten, he personally handed the letter to him and immediately called Lily. He texted her a picture of the airway bill and again thanked her.

Thursday he set his alarm for five in the morning. Barring any delays, Sydney's flight departed LaGuardia at six, so she was bound to be at the airport by then. As he picked up his phone he hesitated. She had emailed him she was going out of town but had not provided the particulars. If he texted her she would know he was checking the calendar and did he really want to show his hand? On the other hand, everyone knew that anyone flying to D.C. on business always took the early flights. He decided to wait until a quarter to six when he'd be more likely to be up. He brewed a pot of coffee, busied himself making breakfast and waited. Jake wandered out of his room, berating him for waking him and demanding a cup of coffee and some of the eggs. Reece obliged and cooked his brother breakfast. He was so cheery Jake sneered. At five forty-five Reece took his phone and texted her a short message. _Figured you're on an early flight. Be safe. I love you._ She did not reply.

Thursday lingered. He concentrated on teaching his undergraduate class and working on his thesis. Lily had emailed the day before, confirming his card had arrived and everything was on schedule. She promised to call after she dropped off the cupcakes. By three thirty he'd read the same paragraph twenty times. He packed his laptop, grabbed his phone and headed home. Forty-five minutes later as he walked into his apartment his phone rang; Lily.

"Reece? Mission accomplished. I just delivered the package. You outdid yourself, brother. They even managed to find that heart shaped box you requested. I placed the card inside, so there is absolutely no chance it will get lost," reported Lily.

"Won't that squish the cupcakes?"

"No, your box is inside a regular bakery box, that's where the card is. It's gonna be fine Reece. Relax, you did good. I left instruction for them to deliver it to her door an hour after she checks in. Gave the concierge and extra fifty," reassured Lily.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

She was exhausted. If there was one thing Sydney Wetherton was not, was an early riser. The six a.m. flight had been torture. She'd gotten up at three, to shower, dress and make it to LaGuardia by five. The forty-minute drive had been uneventful and she'd managed to get to the airport by a quarter to five. She had just sat in her tight, economy window seat when her text message pinged. Reece. He was probably on his way to the lab; why else would he be up so early. But on the bright side, he'd remembered she was flying to D.C.

She had met her counterpart from the Baltimore affiliate at the airport. Cheryl Watkins had driven in from Maryland to pick-up Sydney and attended the morning meetings together; they'd become quick friends. By the time they finally finished groveling for support, she was drained. Her face hurt from smiling and her throat was raw from talking. Cheryl dropped her off at the hotel and they agreed to meet in the lobby the next morning. Sydney thanked her and dragged her tired body inside, it was six o'clock. She needed a shower, and a glass of wine and not necessarily in that order. She got her key and headed towards the elevators, suitcase in tow.

She walked into room 407, and just wanted to go to bed, but she needed a shower. She hung up her coat, took off her dress, pulled a pair of sweats and tee shirt from her suitcase and went to shower. The spray of hot water relaxed and eased her wearied body. She scrubbed off a day's worth of grit and exhaustion, washed her hair and opted for staying in. She grabbed the room service menu, ordered a salad and a glass of Riesling. She was startled when a mere fifteen minutes later there was a knock at her door. As she looked out the peephole she could hear the announcement.

"Room service."

She opened the door, allowing the cart to be wheeled in. To her disappointment, there was a box on the cart. Obviously, they had the wrong room.

"I'm sorry, I think you mixed up the orders. I asked for the Cesar and a glass of wine," Sydney declared as she attempted to push back on the cart.

"No ma'am, this is for room 407. One Cesar salad and a glass of house Riesling. The box is a delivery for Ms. Sydney Wetherton. That is you, correct?" the smiling waiter replied as he handed her the bill.

Sydney looked at the box, signed for the check adding a generous tip, and thanked the waiter.

Once she saw the cupcake logo there was no way she was sending them back. She figured one of the groups they were now partnered with had sent it to her. If she opened the box she would never eat her salad. She resisted the urge, uncovered her salad and ate. She sipped her wine, careful to leave some of the sweet liquid to enjoy with a cupcake. After finishing half the salad she moved the box to the desk, placed the dinner tray outside her door and returned to enjoy her treat.

The heart shape box threw her off. Then she saw the card, she was sure it was from Reece. She took a deep breath, sat on the bed and opened the blue envelope. She was left breathless. As she started to read the handwritten card she was forced to open the box containing the sweet delights.

 _My Dearest Sydney,_

 _I'm sure you've had a busy day and are probably skipping dinner. But it would be a crime for you not to have dessert. When you said you'd be in D.C. I recalled our senior trip and all the fun we had. I remembered the cupcake place you fell in love with, and your addiction to their mini red velvet cupcake. You loved them so much you agreed to our hair brain idea of sneaking out to buy more each night. Mrs. Granger almost caught us that last day._

 _I hope you enjoy the cupcakes I've selected for you. They were each picked with great thought._

· _Key Lime: Homage to your love of the Key Lime Pie we shared on our visit to Key West._

· _Peanut Butter Fudge: Because what's better than peanut butter and fudge?_

· _Hot Cocoa: It's winter in D.C. and I know it's cold._

· _Bubblegum Pink: To thank you for teaching me to blow bubbles in second grade. Drove my Mom crazy all year long. She still refuses to buy bubble gum._

· _Vanilla: Because it's made with pure Madagascar vanilla and you love those crazy penguins and Melman._

· _Chocolate: For your adoration of everything chocolate. It's made with Belgian chocolate and it's supposed to be AWESOME!_

· _Blue-Blue: Because I know you're blue and I'm so, so, very sorry._

· _Sunshine Yellow: Because you, Sydney Wetherton are my sunshine._

· _(4) Red Velvet: Because I will always remember._

 _All my love always,_

 _Reece_

By the time she'd finished the card she was a sobbing mess. Reece had never been the overly romantic type. He was sweet and thoughtful, but he was far from sentimental. This had taken a lot of planning and thought. It had not been an automatic call and delivery. She was sure he had elicited Lily's help. How else could this have been delivered so strategically? Knowing how private he was about them, this had been a huge concession. Maybe she would call Lily and say hello. She called room service for more wine and proceeded to eat three cupcakes. She snapped a picture of the empty wrappers and texted it to Reece with a simple, " _thank you_."

The buzzing alarm clock woke her at six-thirty. She quickly headed for the shower, dressed and started the small coffee pot in her room. She took the hot brew into the bathroom as she applied her makeup, sipped her coffee and kept thinking of Reece. The cupcakes were an unexpected surprise. The sentiment behind the well-crafted and sappy card had tugged at her heart, but she still needed time. Once finished with her makeup, she refilled her coffee, sat at the desk and grabbed a cupcake. At eight sharp she headed downstairs to meet Cheryl.

Friday, at ten and with two meetings to go Sydney and Cheryl were advised the remainder of their meetings had been canceled. The Congressional Aide had apologized but explained uncertainty was part of doing business in D.C. After conferring with their office, Cheryl headed home and Sydney returned to her hotel. As she crossed the lobby she pulled out her phone and called Lily. The minute Lily answered Sydney smiled.

"Hey, thanks for the cupcakes," Sydney announced.

"Oh no, I was simply the delivery person. Which reminds me I never got tipped," Lily responded with a laugh.

"I'll give you a tip. Be careful what your brother gets you into."

"Reece? Nah. Now Jake, he I'd worry about." Lily replied.

"I don't know if you're busy, but I'm free until my flight home. I was wondering if you'd like to catch up?"

"Where are you?" Lily inquired.

"I'm at my hotel. Maybe I can meet you someplace. We can have lunch. My treat." Sydney added.

"Perfect. Let me finish some stuff and I'll see you there in about an hour."

Sydney change out of her business attire slipped on a pair of jeans and grabbed another cupcake. Bubblegum Pink. She headed downstairs, sat in the lobby and waited. When Lily Castle walked into the lobby of The Darcy Hotel heads turned. The tall, slim, chestnut haired beauty looked more like a model than a lobbyist. Make no mistake, she was stunning. Sydney stood to greet her friend and was soon engulfed by a warm, tight hug.

"Boy it's good to see you," a smiling Lily greeted.

"You look great. D.C. agrees with you," replied Sydney with a smile.

"What time's your flight?" asked Lily.

"Leaves at six, so I guess I should be at National around five. But even with late checkout, I have to be out of here by three," explained Sydney.

"So let's grab your stuff, you can stay at my place until your flight. I live four blocks away. It's only a twenty-minute cab ride to Reagan National. Come on," an excited Lily added.

They went upstairs, grabbed her small suitcase and cupcakes and headed to Lily's. She really did live four blocks away. The apartment building was a meticulously kept, light brick structure on a tree lined street. Lily entered the code to the security door and they climbed the three flights to her apartment. The one bedroom apartment had hardwood floors and appeared to have been recently renovated. In typical Lily fashion, it was sparsely furnished. There was a lowly couch, a coffee table and two bar stools against the kitchen counter; no dining room table or hint of décor in sight. Sydney would venture to guess the refrigerator was just as bare.

"Make yourself at home. Let me get into a pair of jeans and we'll talk," Lily said as she kicked off her high heels and flung them across the room.

"No hurry, it's not like I'm going anywhere. Like your place; love the balcony," Sydney stated as she looked out the glass door.

Lily, now in skin tight black jeans, a light yellow sweater plopped on the couch, turned and hugged her again.

"Let me just say, whatever happened I'm sure it was Reece's fault. That is all I will say on the matter. Now, how about we go get something to eat, I'm starving." Lily gleefully declared.

Lily suggested a bistro down the street and they headed out. It was cold, Washington in January was seldom cool and breezy it was mostly cold and bitter. Though a short walk, Sydney was grateful for the sunny streets.

It was just after two, too early for the happy hour crowd and just past the lunch rush. They took a seat on the covered terrace and continued to chat. Sydney told Lily about her new position and how much she was enjoying her job. She acknowledges understanding Lily's passion for what she did. Sydney did admit, however, that she did not enjoy the politics. Lily told her she completely understood, but she, on the other hand, enjoyed the hand-to-hand combat of D.C. It was a tough town, Lily added.

They ordered salads, shared a flatbread pizza and a well-deserved bottle of wine. Before long the waiter returned with the wine and the two salads covered in toasted sunflower seeds, carrots, grape tomatoes and parmesan dressing. The pizza was not far behind. They sipped the wine and enjoyed their salads in silence. Soon Sydney put her fork down and broke.

"Okay, what did Reece tell you?"

Lily busted out laughing, sympathetically taking her friend's hand.

"Honestly, not much. He called wanting me to find out where you were staying. I reminded him I was not a spy. But…" Lily explained

"My calendar, right? He finally looked at the stupid calendar," sighed Sydney.

"Yea. Listen, Syd, he called me. He begged me to deliver the cupcakes. He spent an hour searching for just the right place. I'm not even sure it's the one you guys went to in high school; but the idea, the selection, the order… it was all him. He FedEx'ed me the card too, I only placed it inside the box and delivered it to your hotel. That was the extent of my involvement," explained Lily.

"I just need time Lil. He's been so wrapped up in school I feel like that's all he cares about. This new position of mine requires some socializing; I know that's not Reece's thing, but I do expect him to sometimes accompany me. He's been engrossed in his little bacteria world to the exclusion of everything else too long. This last year has been the worst. I should be grateful he remembers my name!" The more she times she repeated this the angrier she got. She stabbed at her salad and shoved the forkful in her mouth.

"I told that bonehead to respect your wishes. If you need time then take all the time you need. I'm selfish Syd, I love you like family. But whether you're with Reece or not, you'll always be family to me. Now eat your pizza," a sad Lily added.

Two hours and a bottle of Chardonnay later, they were feeling giddy. They walked back to Lily's and waited for the cab.

"I'm gonna look like an idiot carrying this silly heart around the airport," declared Sydney as she picked up her suitcase.

"I think you look sweet. But if you want, feel free to leave the box and its contents behind. I can promise you they'll be well taken care of," a laughing Lily stated.

"No way!" added a grinning Sydney, while pulling the box against her chest.

The cab arrived, Sydney and Lily embraced, saying their goodbyes and promising to call each other more often. Just before they parted, Lily inched in and whispered, "He remembers everything about you, Syd. He's loved you his whole life."

When she entered the plane, she removed her coat, placed it and her suitcase in the overhead bin, then gingerly tucked her cupcakes under the seat. She was tired and just wanted to get home. The flight was uneventful but the cab ride home seemed to take forever. Lucky for her, Jennifer was out when she arrived. Cupcake box safely placed on her nightstand, by nine o'clock she was showered and tucked in bed.

Saturday was a flurry of laundry and errands. She half expected to see Reece at her doorstep, but when dusk came she was relieved he had stayed away. Sunday she looked over her itinerary, called her boss, packed and prepared for another early day.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

The unexpected text with the simple "thank you" had made his day. Though he would have preferred a call, he reminded himself, " _beggars can't be choosy_." With his mood elevated, he sat back and thought about his next step. That Thursday he slept like a baby.

Friday he was due at the lab for a meeting with his thesis advisor. The meeting with Dr. Burroughs had gone well, and he'd been offered an assistants position for the upcoming year. Reece had been surprised by the offer, as those positions usually went to doctoral students.

"Mr. Castle, I've noticed you've cut back on your lab hours," asserted Dr. Burroughs.

"Yes Sir, but it has not affected my work. I hope it does not present a problem," added a slightly concerned Reece.

"Quite the opposite. When you lock yourself in a lab it's easy to lose track of what's really important. Things like family, friends, enjoying life, experiencing new things outside of work. Our brains need a break as well. I'm convinced we think best when we're relaxed. I'm happy to see you balancing things out. Glad to have you back Mr. Castle, I have a lot of work waiting for you next year," added Burroughs.

Reece practically skipped out of the lab. However, the celebratory mood took a swift halt when he'd pulled out his phone to call Sydney. He spent the rest of the evening incessantly checking her flight information.

Saturday he'd formulated the next step in his " _Win Sydney Back"_ campaign. It was a two part mission and even Jake had approved. Now, if he could only pull it off.

The last three weekends he'd not stopped by the lab or picked up a scientific journal as light reading. He was missing work less and less and Sydney more and more. Sunday he joined Jake for lunch, but later begged off Jake's attempts to cheer him up and headed to SoHo. There along the cobblestone road of Mercer Street, he found his way to the cupcake place Sydney so loved. He ordered a red velvet cupcake, found an empty seat amongst the few tables and sat to enjoy his treat. He recalled Dr. Burroughs words; he needed to not lose sight of what was important. His work had endless possibilities, the research was revolutionary, but his life with Sydney was just that, his life. He had been taking her for granted. He couldn't remember a time when Sydney Wetherton was not part of his life, and he did not want to find out what it would be without her. He snapped a picture of the crumb laden table and empty wrapper, remembered his father's word and filed it away under _"cheesy."_ Someday he'd show it to her.

Monday he was up at four. Sydney's flight departed at seven, his plan was in motion. For this one, he had called on help from his Uncle Ryan, who was a hopeless romantic. Explaining he wanted to surprise Sydney, but skirting over the current situation Ryan had agreed to assist. As Sydney waited for her plane to board, two of New York's finest approached.

"Miss? Are you Sydney Wetherton? One of the officers inquired as the other looked at her picture on his phone.

"Yes. Is there a problem officer?"

"No ma'am we just have a delivery for you from Lt. Ryan," he declared as he handed her a Starbucks cup.

Along the side, marked in typical black marker it read, _Reece_. She thanked the officers, took a sip and smiled. English breakfast tea latte, two sugars; just the way she liked it. Reece, a coffeeholic would never agree tea was a morning beverage. As far as he was concern coffee was mandated any time before noon. Again, he'd surprised her. She boarded her flight, cup in hand.

His phone pinged at six-fifty. A simple picture of Sydney's hand holding the Starbucks cup; nothing more. He pulled up Ryan's number and texted him a thank you. It was going to take a village, and he had the best villagers around.

He spent the remainder of the week catching up on classes, even managing to get to the Y with Jake. With any luck, he'd have his thesis completed by next January and sail through his last year. He took the time to check his doctoral choices, and for once started to look at other options. Besides, if Sydney didn't take him back, he would want to get as far away from New York as possible.

He kept track of some of the activity she'd posted on social media. He regretted not being with her at Fisherman's Warf, and Golden Gate Bridge, and smiled when he saw the grin on her face when she visited Lombard Street. Friday morning he put phase two of his Sydney plan in motion. She'd be back Friday, four days before Valentine's Day. He could not recall Valentine's Day without Sydney.

The conference had been eye opening and tremendously informative. Sydney had learned about establishing and monitoring compliance rules, managing resources, and building community partnerships with both the public and private sector. She enjoyed various workshops dealing with fundraising, donor relations, and social media; she had also made new friends. The entire week she waited for another Reece ambush, but it never came.

Friday she bid farewell to her colleagues as they headed home. She was on the red-eye back to New York and would not be departing until late that night. She grabbed a cab to the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park and enjoyed the tranquil setting and views. She marveled at the array of tea, and eagerly listened to the story behind each one she drank. The visit provided her a quiet and retrospective space to think about her current situation. One thing for certain, sooner or later she would have to talk to Reece, face to face. By three o'clock she was headed back to the hotel for a shower and a nap.

As luck would have it her flight had been delayed. Grateful she had rested, by the time she boarded an hour later she was already exhausted. At five feet seven inches, the cramped seating was not built for comfort, it would be a long flight. Riding an aisle seat across the country, she just hoped her seatmates had strong bladders. She arrived at JFK at six twenty a.m. feeling like she walked there. Seated next to a rather large man and his wife, the gentleman had snored like a freight train the entire flight.

With just a carry-on and a large purse, the moment the seatbelt sign was off Sydney was ready to make a run for it. She was tired, her body ached and she was sleep deprived. All she wanted to do was get off that plane, find a cab and head home. Glad to be seated in row nine, her escape was quick. She cleared the gateway, only to be engulfed by the hustle and bustle of JFK. No matter the time of day, JFK was always a bevy of activity. She zigzagged her way through the terminal heading towards the exit. When she hit the clearing of the secured area there he was, a large man dressed in a white shirt and black tie, holding a sign "Sydney Wetherton."

"Excuse me, I'm Sydney Wetherton," she sheepishly declared.

"I'm Robert, your driver. I have a car outside. Do you have any additional luggage Miss?" he'd politely asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure my agency did not contract a car service…"

The driver reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out an invoice and showed her. The pickup order indicated her name, flight, and drop-off location. It simply read paid in full. This smelled like Reece. She handed him her luggage and followed him out. Once inside the towncar, she pulled out her phone and texted Reece. If it was not him, she figured she was being kidnapped. At this point, she was too tired to care.

He smiled when he saw the simple word, "Thanks."

It had been rather easy. Having gotten access to her flight information, he'd simply called the car service his parents used and made arrangements. He had paid extra for a towncar and added a generous tip. In forty-five minutes Sydney would be home safe and sound, and that was good enough for him.

She sighed as the driver pulled up to her building. Relieved and delighted, she could not wait to get to bed. The driver refused her tip, adding it had all been taken care of, Sydney took her bag and thanked him. She walked into her apartment made a bee line for her room, stripped and took a quick shower; unpacking could wait. The minute her head hit the pillow she was out.

Reece hoped to hear from Sydney soon. It had been three weeks and he was desperate. She had not restricted his access to the calendar, but there was nothing new on it; perhaps she'd just stop posting her schedule. Sunday he pondered his next move. Maybe he'd call her and ask her to lunch. Monday his wish was granted, Sydney had contacted him.

She'd contemplated her next step all day Sunday. She had been delighted with all the thoughtful gestures Reece had demonstrated, but at the same time had wondered what he would have done had they not had the fight. Sunday she went home to visit her parents and talk to her mother. Well aware Tuesday was Valentine's Day she cried. Reece had always been her Valentine's. That night she'd made her decision.

He was sitting at his desk when he received the text. Not cryptic in the least the numerous clock emoji's made it loud and clear; she needed time. He was prepared to wait as long as it took. Miserable as he might be, Sydney Wetherton was worth the wait. He took a breath and replied, _"As long as you need."_

Tuesday, they were both miserable. Regardless of her wishes, he simply could not forego Valentine's Day without Sydney knowing he loved her. He had ordered an arrangement of her favorite flowers, sweat-peas, and lilies. The flowers had been delivered to her office. The note read, _"Eighteen Valentine's Day's and counting. Love, Reece."_

As March neared, the breezy temperatures of spring warmed the city. He checked Page Six for any articles or pictures. She had attended a children's charity where her organization had been instrumental in providing funding. The last Sunday in February there had been a picture of her bowling in a bowl-a-thon for elder care, Carter Gaylord Whitney, III in the background.

He had been tempted to send her flowers every day but continued to respect her wishes. With the pending arrival of March, ads for a new movie permeated the airwaves. Every station, every social media network, billboard, entertainment show, everywhere you turned you could not avoid being bombarded by previews for the remake of La La Land. The musical had been an award winning blockbuster in 2017; the remake was expected to be a huge success. He had been forced to sit through it one movie night. He'd had one of the damn songs stuck in his head for a week. He remembered Sydney mentioning its anticipated release back in December. With no luck in sight getting tickets for the opening day showing, he was going to need some help from his village.

When his grandmother passed away his parents had converted her school into a non-profit entity, offering scholarships and acting lessons through community theater productions. Meagan Hernandez had taken over the Martha Rogers Acting Institute. He called her for help.

Meagan had been surprised, but happy to see him stop by. Although the Castle's always attended the yearly school production and fundraiser, she did not often see the children. She remembered directing them in summer plays when they were young. Lily had taken to the theater like a chip off the old block, the twins, however, had been a hand-full.

"Reece, it's so good to see you. It is Reece right?" a smiling Meagan inquired.

"Yes, ma'am it's me," assured Reece as he leaned in to hug her.

"You boys were such devils! The minute your grandmother turned her back you relished confusing us. But Martha always put a stop to that nonsense. She loved you kids so much. And proud, my lord, she was so very proud of all of you," a wistful Meagan added.

"We love her very much too. We miss her every day," a somber Reece declared.

"Enough of the melancholia, Martha would be furious. Now tell me, what I can do for you," inquired Meagan.

Reece proceeds to explain he was looking for two tickets to the special opening day showing of the new La La Land movie in Times Square. He understood it was a tough order, but would appreciate any help. Reece followed Meagan into the office as she went about calling her contacts. Thirty-five minutes later, she placed her hand over her phone and smiled. _"It's gonna cost you, sweetie,"_ she'd mouthed. Reece shook his head and exhaled.

The fee had not been stiff at all. A hug and a kiss. Apparently someone his grandmother once helped now managed several theaters, Times Square Cinema among them. He promised to stop by more often, thanked her and said goodbye. He headed towards the theater off forty-second street, delighted to have been successful. When he approached the ticket counter the manager handed him an envelope simply addressed Martha Rogers. He thanked the manager, walked a few steps, and silently thanked his grandmother. He smiled, swearing he could hear her say, _"Go get that girl, kiddo."_

The movie would be opening the first day of spring, which this year fell on a Friday. It was just shy of three weeks away. He headed home to figure out how he would get the tickets to her.

Reece retreated to his room, admitting a huge display would not go over well. He kept repeating the K.I.S.S. principle to himself; Keep It Simple, Stupid. He pulled out the blank card he had left from his cupcake note and authored a simple message. _"Dear Sydney, today is "I Want You to be Happy Day!" so, be happy. Take a friend, enjoy the show. Will be thinking of you, Love – Reece."_

March 3rd he placed the card and tickets in a large manila envelope and called for a messenger service.

The large envelope had been placed on her desk and gone unnoticed. After lunch, she'd moved it atop the rest of the mail sitting in her inbox. By three o'clock, with the day's meetings and emergencies taken care of, she poured herself a cup of tea and sat to handle her mail. When she saw the card she smiled. She was shocked when the tickets fell out. She read the note, turned to the computer and googled March 3rd. Sure enough, March 3rd, was "I Want You to be Happy Day." The twins had inherited their father's flair for useless information, and silly holidays was one such thing. She literally laughed out loud, picked up her phone and called him.

He had just left his last class and was headed home. He'd been working himself into a massive headache. Having just entered the subway, the call had gone straight to voicemail. Twenty-five minutes later he walked into his apartment, poured himself a glass of water, and checked his phone. Sydney. Could his day get any worse? He held his breath as he listened to the voicemail. She'd gotten the tickets. They had left her speechless. She had a late meeting with the Board of Directors but would call him around nine. He was so excited he forgot all about his headache. He watched the clock tick away slowly. Nine o'clock could not come soon enough.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

Sydney took a seat next to her boss, listening to the reading of the last meetings minutes. Eventually, new business was discussed and updates on projects provided. Sydney tuned out most of the rhetoric as she glanced at the clock. Her thoughts were on her pending call to Reece. He had been making such great efforts, and she was tired of being mad. The nudge from her assistant drew her back to the meeting in time to hear Clare Adamson make an announcement. They had just been advised their organization had been nominated for a grant from the Athletic Fellowship of New York. As all eyes turned to her, Sydney straightens herself in her chair and prepares for questions. The Board had been surprised as they weren't aware they were in the running.

"There must be some mistake. By the time I was made aware of the grant, the deadline had passed. I've been looking to reach out for next year, but I haven't made any contacts," a confused Sydney explained.

"Well, apparently someone nominated us, listing you as the representative. We are in the running this year. The awards will be presented at their annual luncheon, a week from Saturday. The Board will be attending. We will forward the invitation to your office. Jason, we'll see you and Sydney there," a smiling Clare Adamson declared.

A bewildered Sydney remained seated as the board adjourned. Perhaps her father had nominated her organization. She refused to believe he would do something like that behind her back, but it was possible. She excused herself and rushed to her office with her boss and assistant close on her heels. Before she could call her father from the privacy of her office her boss walked in. Though they ran a casual operation, going rogue and keeping others in the dark was frowned upon. No one liked to be taken by surprise or ambushed, and this had felt like just that.

"Mr. Beecher, I swear to you, I had nothing to do with this! I told you I would work on them for next year, I haven't even mentioned it to anyone outside our last strategy meeting," a flustered Sydney offered.

"I believe you Sydney. I never thought for one moment you'd go behind my back. I'll do some digging, but we need to be careful. We don't want to appear ungrateful. I'm sure we'll discover who our benefactor is at the luncheon. Don't over think this; it's a good thing." Jason Beecher smiled, patted Sydney on the arm and walked away.

She picked up her phone and dialed her father. He assured her he had nothing to do with the nomination. He had promised her not to intercede on her behalf and had kept his word. He was a member of the Athletic Fellowship and knew a few board members and could reach out if she wanted. Sydney apologized for jumping to conclusions, thanked her father and declined his assistance. It was seven o'clock and the tension had given birth to a magnificent migraine. She grabbed her purse deciding any detective work could wait. The last three hours had morphed into a nightmare. She reached the lobby, requested a car and waited; no way could she fight the crowded subway tonight.

She got home, grabbed two aspirins, and headed for the shower. She could not let it go; who had nominated them and why had they used her name? Reece had briefly come to mind, but she did not think he was a member of the club. He and Jake were more YMCA than uppity Athletic Fellowship. Maybe Reece had asked his father? Richard Castle was not one to be rubbing elbows with the upper crust, but he was well connected and had no shortage of clout. This, however, was out of character for the Castles. As she toweled dry her hair, she sat on her bed to think. The next thing she knew she was untangling herself from a wet towel and a mangled sheet; it was eleven thirty. She groaned, reached for her purse and dug out her phone. Reece would be asleep by now and quite frankly she was in no frame of mind to talk to him. She texted an apology, promising to explain and call in the morning.

He'd waited and waited. Disappointed when nine o'clock came and went. At ten he contemplated calling, at eleven he went to bed.

She'd had several restless nights since her breakup with Reece but tonight was epic. Her brain refused to shut down. _This was a good thing_ , Mr. Beecher had said so himself, so why did she feel like she was being played? At four she abandoned any hope of a restful night, got dressed and headed out. She walked towards Tiller's Bakery. Mr. and Mrs. Mason were longtime friends, Eli Tiller had gone to school with Sydney and she visited the bakery often. She headed to the rear of the store and tapped on the door; it was five a.m.

"Sorry Miss, the entrance is in the front and we don't open until seven," a young man informed her.

"I'm sorry, is Eli here. I'm a friend of his," she'd replied.

Eli Tiller always helped at the bakery. A graduate of Notre Dame, Eli had returned home to attend NYU and get his MBA. Eli enjoyed working the early hours in his parent's bakery. He had once told her he loved the smell of freshly baked bread. He would have been content becoming a baker, his father, however, had other plans; so Eli had gone off to college.

"Sydney! Come in, come in," a gleeful Eli welcomed her.

"Hey Eli, great to see you. Your mom told me you were back. How was Indiana?" Sydney replied with a laugh as she hugged her friend.

"I'm just glad to be back home. Where's Reece?" Eli asked as he looked behind her.

"Well, that's why I'm here. I came to get him the best bread in New York City."

"That I can help you with. Come on, let's head to the front," a smiling Eli added.

He packed a box with fresh pastries, filled a bag with warm bread and handed them to her. He feigned insult when she attempted to pay, sent regards to Reece and bid her goodbye, demanding they get together soon. Sydney got into the waiting car and headed to Reece's. As the car headed north, she prayed Reece was home. She still had her key but felt odd letting herself in. It was six fifteen in the morning, Jake was going to kill her. She rode the elevator up, took a deep breath when she reached their door and rang the doorbell.

"Who the fuck? Damn building better be on fire!" a groggy and angry Jake mumbled.

Jake reached the door, promising to kill whoever disturbed his slumber. He forcefully yanked the door open, only to be confronted by a smiling Sydney.

"Don't you have a key?" he hissed.

"Sorry Jake, but I brought pastries," an apologetic Sydney added.

"I'm going back to bed," he declared as he turned and walked back to his room.

She placed the items on the kitchen counter and started a pot of coffee. Reece was a sound sleeper, but coffee usually got him up. Besides, for the last year, he'd been up by six; it was almost six thirty. She poured the freshly brewed nectar into his mug, grabbed his favorite pastry and headed towards the bedroom.

He could smell the coffee, he thought he'd heard the doorbell but assumed Jake was up writing. Sometimes Jake would turn on the TV, claiming he needed background noise. He decided it was too early, and since it was Saturday he grabbed his pillow, placed it over his head and went back to sleep.

"Reece?" she murmured in a soft tone.

He peeled the pillow back, convinced he was hearing things, opened one eye and leaped out of bed. There in front of him was the single, most beautiful thing he'd ever seen; Sydney. He rubbed his eyes, unable to contain the grin on his face.

He smiled, uttering the most eloquent word he could summon, "Hi."

She extended her arms, one hand holding a pastry the other his coffee mug. Her smile wavered and she started to cry. The silence interrupted only by her quiet sniffles, Reece rushed towards her. He grabbed the mug and pastry, placed them on the nightstand and embraced her. They stood wrapped in each other's arms as Reece soothed her with hushed tones. Eventually, she pulled away and wiped her tears. Reece took her face in his hands and gently kissed her.

"Syd? I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry about everything. You were right, I've been an ass. I've been taking you for granted and ignoring you and everyone else. I was so self-absorbed. I never meant to hurt you, I was such a fool. Syd, this separation has been the worst time of my life. I know I can't go back and change what I've done wrong, but what can I do to prove to you it will never happen again?"

"Reece, I know. I know you didn't set out to hurt me; I never thought you did. It's been tough on me too. But I'd rather be without you than be in a relationship where only one person matters. I love you Reece, have my whole adult life. I know your work is critical and I want to support you, but I want someone that supports and encourages me as well. I want vacations and Christmas and babies and I don't want to do that alone. I'm proud of you, but if your life is going to be eighteen hour days in a lab, six or seven days a week, I'm out. No matter how much I love you that's one thing I am not willing to compromise on." It was said with conviction, but no anger. Her voice was soft but the words earnest.

"No! You're not _out_ of anything! Syd, I admit I was running amok, but it was a stupid, hubris phase. I can't swear there will never be eighteen hour days, but I can assure you it will not be the norm. I can promise you we will talk, we will schedule things, work together, and I will be there whenever I can. There will be things I won't be able to attend, but I promise to always let you know ahead of time. I can't apologize enough for the gala, it was rude and inexcusable of me to abandon my commitment at the last minute, and I hope you can forgive me. That will indubitably, never happen again. I'm very proud of you Syd, and the work you do. And Sydney, when we have babies, you will not be alone."

She took his face and kissed him. He could taste the salty tears she'd been shedding on her lips. His heart ached for the sorrow he had caused her.

"I didn't think you'd remember the movie," she coyly added as their lips parted.

"Syd, when it comes to you, I remember everything," he declared with a peck on her lips as he stood.

"Okay, let me take a quick shower and I'll make you breakfast. It's Saturday, we can talk all day long. I have a study group meeting at the lab at ten, but I can always play hooky," he added with a wink.

"I wish I could, but I have to go to the office, I'm in the middle of a cluster and… go take a shower and we'll talk," she said, as she smacked him on the butt and smiled.

Sydney walked to the kitchen only to be greeted by a yawning Jake. She grabbed her coffee mug from the top shelf, pour herself a cup and waited.

"Sorry I woke you," an apologetic Sydney stated.

"Lucky I didn't answer the door naked," answered Jake with a grin.

"Lucky me," Sydney snidely added.

"Does this mean you and Reece patched things up?" inquired Jake as he took a swig of his coffee.

"It's a work in progress," smiled Sydney as she took a sip.

"Good, because he's been insufferable. Pain in the ass little wuss, moping around here, coming up with ways to win you back," a smiling Jake added.

Just then Reece walked out of his room, shaking his sopping mop of hair. He entered the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed the eggs. Sydney walked around the counter and took a seat. Reece Castle had inherited the breakfast gene from his father and enjoyed the ritual of the morning meal. Although not as adventurous a chef, he liked cooking breakfast for her.

"Good God, you two need to bring it down a notch. It's too early to be this _giddy_!" smirked Jake as he took his mug and head back to his room.

Just before he turned, Jake added, "You know, he loves you."

"I know," a smiling Sydney responded.

They ate breakfast in comfortable silence. At eight, she announced she had to get going. They agreed the conversation was not over but it needed to be private and less hurried. Reece asked she come to dinner around seven, assuring her they would be alone. He quickly dressed and walked with her to the subway.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

He couldn't remember the last time he'd whistled. He exited the subway with only one thing in mind, Sydney. He called Jake to let him know he'd need to find alternative housing for the evening. He wanted time alone with Sydney. Their conversation merited privacy. Jake could bunk down with his flavor of the month or crash at Alexis.

Sydney arrived at her office a woman possessed. Lisa, her assistant was already in and had anticipated the days undertaking. She had pulled up everything she could on the Athletic Fellowship of New York. She had the names of every board member for the last five years and information on some of the more prominent members. By the time Sydney sat behind her desk, Lisa was walking in, folders and coffee in hand.

The Athletic Fellowship of New York was founded 1908 to provide a meeting place for wealthy sports enthusiasts; white, male sports enthusiasts. With steep membership fees and rigid requirements, the club had been seen as a relic of the past and suffered dwindling membership until the 2000's. In what had been described as a hostile takeover, younger members had ousted and unseated entrenched board members and enacted radical change. By 2018 the club was a powerhouse for amateur sports and a leading sponsor of top Olympic talent. Membership was restructured, women and minorities welcomed and actively recruited. Though still on the high end, fees were streamlined and the club's grand ballroom and dining club opened as public venues. The changes had been applauded.

Housed in a large neoclassical building that occupied half a city block, the Athletic Fellowship of New York had taken great strides. Though still holding on to some of its more formal rules, it was now known for its support of struggling amateur athletes, as well as its charity work. The Fellowship had become an integral part of New York City, stuffy rules and all. Proper athletic wear was always required and only allowed in the gymnasium area. Even the pool had a dress code. Outside the athletic facilities, men were still required to wear jackets, slacks, collared shirts and dressed shoes. Women needed to dress in business attire or dresses. Under no circumstances were jeans, and tee shirts permitted. Though open to all, the club still catered mostly to the city's wealthy and elite.

Sydney ordered lunch as she and Lisa continued to read and sort out the information they had gathered. Aside from her father, and some not too close family acquaintances, they could not find a link between Sydney and any member. The nominated charities had been listed on their website, but no information as to which member had selected the nominees was provided. Being a private entity, their records were less than public. Information was tough to find.

On the heels of the delivery from Jacopo's Deli, a bouquet of pink roses arrived. The flowers were beautiful and the message simple. _"Congratulation! Have dinner with me. Tonight 8:00, Sofia's_ _τροφή (trofí)."_ Sofia's was a new Greek restaurant just blocks from her apartment. She had yet to try it and was surprised Reece would even know it existed. She failed to see what he was congratulating her for and was amazed he had chosen a restaurant to continue their conversation, nonetheless she smiled at his effort. She texted him _"see you tonight,"_ and forged on with her detective work.

Sydney had explained she was in the midst of a crisis at work, so he had restrained himself from calling. Shortly after one, he'd received her text. They would have dinner, talk and with any luck finally patch thing up once and for all. By three the study group parted ways, and by four thirty he was almost home. Jake had arrived shortly after five announcing he would be spending the night at a friend's.

By four she and Lisa had called it a night. They shared a cab, continuing their discussion on the lack of findings, but they were determined to proceed. Either way, Saturday they would have an answer. She got home and opted for a nap. At six, she started getting ready. In a way, she was glad dinner would be away from his apartment. Although Reece was not the type to assume the conversation would lead to the bedroom, she was nonetheless relieved and maybe a little disappointed.

She chose a yellow dress Reece was particularly fond of, grabbed a wrap to ward off the night's chill and headed out. She was late. The four block walk built up her anxiety and giddiness. She could not recall the last time she had been this nervous to see Reece. She liked the feeling.

That Sydney made quite an impression. He'd had to use an ace he held to get her charity nominated, but it would soon pay off. He ordered a drink and anxiously waited for her to arrive.

Sofia's was a small, quiet restaurant located mid-block on a mostly residential side street. The atmosphere appeared to be intimate, but just shy of romantic. She entered the dimly lit foyer and was greeted by the hostess who advised her party was waiting. She smiled and followed the young woman towards the back.

He stood and waved as she approached. Sydney was speechless.

"I'm sorry, there's been a mistake," decried a now somber Sydney as she stared at Carter Whitney.

"Have dinner with me. I promise you'll never make that mistake again," gloated Carter.

The young hostess excused herself, leaving an uncomfortable Sydney behind.

"Look, it's just dinner, what could it hurt. We'll eat, get to know each other better, and I'll walk you home, no strings attached," added Carter as he sat, patted the seat next to him and took a swig from his drink.

It was now past eight o'clock and Sydney was nowhere in sight. The lasagna was slowly shriveling in the oven, the ingredients for the Cesar salad waited as the romaine wilted. The wine Sydney so enjoyed chilled in a melted ice filled bucket. He'd called and there was no answer. It was now eight thirty and he'd already filled her voicemail. No way would she stand him up. Cancel maybe, but just not show, not Sydney. By nine o'clock he was concerned.

She turned and walked towards the door with Carter giving chase. He reached her as she cleared the foyer, the few patrons looking on. Carter called after her and grabbed her arm in an attempt to stop her.

"It would be wise of you to let go of my arm," a startled Sydney spewed.

"Look, if you didn't want to have dinner why did you show up? Frankly, I had the odds at 60 - 40 you not showing; I was pleasantly surprised," a cocky Carter professed.

"I don't owe you an explanation, but obviously I expected someone else. I'm not having dinner with you!"

"It may cost you $75,000 from the Fellowship. Are you willing to risk that?"

Sydney pulled her arm from Carter's grasp and walked out as Caster laughed. The nerve of that pompous ass. Had she just torpedoed her organization's chance at $75,000? Her stomach was churning. She was new to this world of corporate high-stakes fundraising, but if this was any indication of thing to come, she would need to find a new line of work.

She opened her purse in search of her cellphone and cursed. She'd plugged in the drained phone when she walked into her room, and there it still sat. She returned, brushed past a smirking Carter and asked the hostess to call her a cab.

"You don't need a cab, I can escort you home if you'd like," Carter advised.

"How do you know where I live?" a concerned Sydney asked.

"I know a lot about you Ms. **Wetherton," replied a grinning Carter.**

 **Unbeknownst to Sydney, the young hostess had alerted the owner who walked out to inquire if she was okay. Carter took the opportunity to ask for his check and was advised there'd be no charge for the drink. He walked out in a huff. Sydney thanked the hostess and the owner and waited for the cab.**

 **It was nine forty-five when a very upset Sydney reached Reece's apartment. She paid the driver and headed up the elevator. Having left more than just her cellphone behind she was forced to ring the doorbell. Reece rushed to the door only to be greeted by a distressed Sydney. She lunged towards him, seeking his protective embrace.**

 **"** **I'm so sorry Reece. There was a mix-up, I thought you sent the flowers and… It's my fault…" she broke out in tears without finishing the sentence.**

 **'** **Hey, hey, it's alright. Why so upset? The important thing is you're here. Lasagna's a little crispy, but we'll manage. Now, come on, sit down, I'm gonna pour you a nice glass of wine and make the salad, and we can talk," softly added Reece. He had no idea why she was so upset.**

 **"** **I'm not really hungry, but I will take the wine."**

 **"** **When was the last time you ate? Let me just serve us some lasagna. Just eat a little." Reece proceeded to pull the dry, but warm lasagna** from the oven, placing a large portion onto a plate. "We can share," he added with a smile.

They sat next to one another, sharing the lasagna and sipping their wine. After two bites Sydney put her fork down. She had lost her appetite. The promising night she'd been looking forward to, had been ruined. She hesitated to tell Reece what had happened but knew it had to be done.

"Reece, I need to tell you something. But you have to listen to the whole story and you can't fly off the handle. Promise me?" A tearful Sydney added.

"Syd, you can tell me anything. What's wrong?" a concerned Reece inquired.

Sydney proceeded to relay the events of the day, culminating in the evening's encounter. She berated herself for assuming the flowers were from him, thinking she was meeting him for dinner. She would have never gone had she known it was Carter. He had made her feel cheap and dirty and the implication of the grant nomination was not lost on her. When he grabbed her she had almost slapped him.

"He grabbed you!" screamed Reece as he pushed back his chair and jumped up. "I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch!"

"Reece, Reece, you promised. He only grabbed me to stop me; to tell me something. He didn't hurt me, I swear. Please…" Sydney implored.

"Syd, this was not your fault. I can understand the confusion. Please don't cry, but I'm still gonna kill that bastard," added Reece as he brushed the hair from her eyes.

"Can you kill him later? I'm really tired and just want to sleep. Would it be okay if I spent the night?" asked a tired Sydney.

Seriously? You need to ask?" a grinning Reece replied.

"To sleep Reece, sleep," added Sydney.

"Come, let me put you to bed. No monkey business, scouts honor," a smiling Reece declared.

"You and Jake got kicked out of the scouts," Sydney added as she leaned in and kissed him.

Sydney slipped into one of Reece's tee shirts, removed her makeup, brushed her teeth and was fast asleep before her head hit the pillow. Reece watched her and fumed. Carter Whitney would live to regret this night.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

Sunday morning by the time Sydney joined him in the kitchen the coffee was brewing and eggs cooking. She had showered and been thankful to still have enough clothing there to allow her some comfort. A good night's sleep had done wonders.

"Reece?" she'd called to him.

"Yea?"

"Promise you won't confront Carter Whitney. I'm a big girl, I can slay my own dragons. This is important, I need to handle this myself. Please promise me," added Sydney.

Reece looked at Sydney over his coffee mug, took a gulp and nodded.

Hoping to spend a quiet Sunday lounging on the couch Reece was disappointed when Sydney announced she had a prior engagement with her parents. She'd need to get home and change. There was family visiting from Connecticut and Sydney was expected. He had insisted she take a car and call him when she got home. It was Sunday and they would have all week to talk. Things were looking up, but there was still the matter of one Carter Gaylord Whitney, _the Last_.

Sydney got home, quickly changed and headed to her parents. Now thinking a bit clearer, she looked forward to talking to her father. She was no longer upset, she was mad. Perhaps her father could provide some information. Carter Whitney was going to regret ever messing with her.

Between hugs and kisses, she spent the afternoon being questioned by her two elderly aunts. They did not visit often but always enjoyed time with their youngest and only niece. With an eight year gap, **Marjorie, Emma, Laura, Beatrice and Alice Wetherton had been delighted at the arrival of their baby brother. They had enjoyed spoiling him. Their father had always frowned upon such behavior but secretly admired the bond among the siblings. Marjorie, Laura, and Beatrice had long passed away, but Emma and Alice still doted on their little brother whenever possible. Emma, having no children of her own had always relished spending time with Sydney, and Sydney adored her aunt Emma.**

 **Unable to find a quiet time to sneak away with her father and talk, Sydney had asked he drive her home. He appreciated any opportunity he could get to have her to himself, but this request was a blatant indication something was up.**

 **Harold Wetherton was slowly building up to a murderous rage. He could read Sydney a mile away and knew she was down playing what had happened. If he ever got his hands on Carter Whitney he would wring his neck. When Sydney started to relay what had happened at the restaurant he could see her lip quiver. Sydney needed his help. Did he know any of the members of the board and could he find out who had nominated her agency for the grant? She asked he be discreet, but she needed the information as soon as possible.**

 **"** **I'll have an answer for you tomorrow," he'd managed to say with a smile, between clenched teeth.**

 **"** **Daddy, please don't mention Carter's name. And I'm going to ask you the same thing I asked Reece, please don't confront Carter; I will handle thing," she implored.**

 **Harold Wetherton had been a member of the Athletic Fellowship for over thirty years. Sydney had learned to swim at their pool. He seldom used the facilities but did enjoy the restaurant's member's only amenities. But Harold Wetherton knew people, people that were active, and important members. The information Sydney requested had taken him two phone calls. The Athletic Fellowship grant process was simple; being awarded the funds not so much. Members in good standing, with a minimum of five years membership, could nominate any New York based non-profit to be considered. Nominations were then filtered through a committee, who researched and vetted the organizations, narrowing it down to five nominees. The Board of Directors then awarded the grants. Gerald Carson had nominated** _Just a Hand Foundation_. The nomination had been made on the last day of eligibility. _Just a Hand Foundation_ had been vetted with the other nominees and had reached the final selection committee. The winners had already been selected and would be announced Saturday at their annual awards luncheon.

Monday morning Sydney arrived at the office a woman possessed. Grabbing the flowers still on her desk she tossed them in the trash and waved Lisa in. She brought Lisa up to speed and called her boss. Before she could finish explaining the situation, a red faced Jason Beecher burst into her office.

"Are you alright?" he inquired with concern.

Sydney assured him she was fine and aside from being embarrassed no harm was done. She repeated the vile threat regarding the grant and apologized. Jason Beecher was mortified Sydney would believe an apology was necessary. Beecher picked up his phone to called Clare Adamson and inform the board; Sydney interceded. She suggested they discreetly find out if there were any irregularities in the nomination. If so, they would withdraw from contention. She had given the incident with Carter Whitney serious thought, aside from the idle threat, he had done nothing wrong. He had sent her flowers, and invited her to dinner; by showing up she had agreed to the date.

"All I'm asking is that we look into this a bit more. Carter Whitney is a slimy, opportunistic, windbag who may be taking credit for something he had nothing to do with. If things don't look aboveboard we take it to the board. But we should at least have some solid information. Right now all we have is my word against his. This boils down to a man asking a woman out on a date and things not going as expected. I do not want to be the fodder for seedy gossip and that is what this will turn into. Please, let's just see what we can find out." She'd played down the encounter.

Against his better judgment, Jason Beecher agreed to delay any notification to the board. However, they would need to inform them before the awards luncheon. They had a few days.

The call from her father came at ten thirty. Harold Wetherton had decided to leave Carter Whitney's name out of it. In due time he would handle the little asswipe. Gerald Carson had nominated _Just a Hand Foundation_ and they had been vetted and investigated just like all the other nominees. As far as anyone could tell there had been no irregularities in the nomination. Any credit for selection of the charity would go to Carson. Twenty minutes later Sydney relayed the information to her boss. In the spirit of full discloser, Jason Beecher contacted the board. They would meet Wednesday.

By noon Reece was done with classes. He took the train to Columbia, and once at the library texted Jake. The one-word message was simple yet effective; when Jake opened it he had almost burst out laughing. Forty-five minutes later Jake strolled into the Butler Library looking for his brother. There beneath the large mural sat Reece, a sinister look masking his plotting gaze.

"Nice touch with the text. Whatever it is, count me in. What's the plan? Jake inquired with a smirk.

Reece had typed the one word he knew his brother would understand with urgency; _Yugo_. It had been the code word for their last major prank. Reassembling an entire car inside the teacher's lounge days before their high school graduation. They were still icons of awe and admiration among the students at Marlowe Prep. Murder might be what he wanted, but this would ensure a series of events that would prolong payback and pain.

"The first order of business is intel. We need to find out everything we can about our target. We may need help," declared Reece.

They agreed this would be a staggered attack, with long range consequences. With the level of anger Reece had reached, the delayed gratification would be difficult, but necessary. The parameters were discussed and established. Carter Whitney would be the only target and only person affected by any plan; only he and Jake would be privy to all details. They would stay within the law. Although some of the things Reece had in mind would stretch those limits. The first order of business was research. Sunday he'd worked on that, but the information he'd managed to find was minimal and sketchy. He was going to need help.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

Four years older than the Castle twins, Nicolas Ryan was as close to family as any blood relative. A computer whiz, with credentials to match, Nicolas had just finished his doctorate in mathematics and computer science at M.I.T. Still in Boston, he always managed to make the family gatherings.

It was late Sunday but it did not surprise Reece to know Nick was working. Reece and Nick could be counted on to get to the point without having to endure the typical social conversation bullshit. It was the one thing both appreciated. Right off the bat, Reece let Nick know he was calling for a favor. He related an edited version of events, including his own attempts at obtaining information. Nick considered the Castle's family, that's how they'd been raised. If you messed with one of them, you messed with all of them.

"I don't want you getting into any trouble, but whatever you can get would be appreciated. We're trying to stay within the lines if you know what I mean," a grateful Reece informed him.

"I take that statement as a personal affront. Whatever I do will be untraceable, that I can guarantee. But I appreciate the disclaimer," an amused Nick added.

Nick asked Reece for the details and a few days. He promised to call the minute he had the information. They agreed to all catch a baseball game soon and said goodbye.

Carter Gaylord Whitney, III was a phony. Bryan Carter Whitney was one of three siblings born to Robert and Patricia Whitney of Lansing, Michigan. Robert Carter Whitney had moved from a small town in Oregon to attend Michigan State University. Upon graduating he'd taken a job at a local bank, married and made Lansing home. Patricia Whitney was an elementary school teacher turned stay at home mom after her second child was born. A few years later, Robert had taken a gamble and accepted a job as the chief accountant for a new startup in the area. Twenty years later, he was CFO of a Fortune 500 company.

The Whitney's were a well-known Lansing family that had grown in prominence. Their eldest son Patrick was a nurse practitioner who lived in the area with his wife and small children. Elizabeth Whitney, the middle child, and only daughter was a commercial airline pilot based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Then there was Bryan, the youngest of the bunch.

Bryan Whitney was a snob. He had grown up coddled, spoiled and undisciplined. Friends claimed by the time Bryan was born his father was too busy getting settled in a new and demanding job and his mother was otherwise preoccupied with the older children. Bryan was simply given whatever he'd wanted. Not as focused or dedicated a student Bryan struggled in school. Unwilling to see their son fail, Bryan had been transferred to a private school willing to overlook the young Whitney's deficiencies. After graduating 78th in a class of 85, Bryan Whitney packed his bags and headed to the one university a hefty donation had gotten him into.

The trouble started his sophomore year. Trying to teach their son a lesson and tired of his lack of direction, Mr. and Mrs. Whitney had cut Bryan off. They were covering tuition, room, and board but Bryan was on his own for everything else. Barely making it academically, and with a need to maintain his standard of living, Bryan developed into quite an entrepreneur. With good looks and endless charm, Bryan exuded importance and status. It was not beneath him to use his charm to gain an advantage or trade favors. Always at the hottest parties and events, he exchanged invites for papers, exams, and money. Bryan Whitney was the go to guy for just about anything. But all good things must come to an end, and his senior year payback came calling.

The scandal had rocked the small university town. Someone had hacked the school's mainframe computer, grades had been changed and records deleted. Investigators had also discovered a black-market for exams, and fake ID's. Although Bryan Whitney's name somehow always popped up, little evidence existed to prove he was involved. A local wannabee hacker had been named as the primary suspect, but investigators determined there was an unknown figure that ran the elaborate ruse. With his son's name all over the investigation, Robert Whitney had arrived at the school with a horde of attorney's. Carter's grades had never been altered, his 2.7 GPA was proof of that. Threatening to sue anyone that defamed his son or their name, Bryan was allowed to graduate without a blemish on his record. With a huge cloud of suspicion over him and the talk of the town, Bryan needed a fresh start. Two weeks after graduation, Bryan Whitney legally became Carter Gaylord Whitney, III.

With ten thousand dollars from his father and his new business degree, Carter Gaylord Whitney, III packed his bags and his charm and headed to New York.

Setting up shop in a swanky SoHo apartment, Carter was determined to make New York his town. His father had called out to friends on Wall Street, but Carter was not keen on rising with the stock market. He liked to party late and sleep even later. Within two months, his bank account was down to eighteen hundred dollars. His father had refused to supply any more funds until he found a job.

Amongst his new friends was a savvy real estate broker. Carter picked his brain and determined that was something he could do. He'd be pretty much on his own, make his own hours and continue his partying ways. With his million dollar wardrobe and his embellished pedigree, he'd own that town in no time at all. His first step was getting his real estate license. Turning up the charm, before long he'd talked himself into an apprenticeship with his new friend. Once he secured the job he called his mother, she was always an easy mark. With an added, five thousand dollars, Carter Gaylord Whitney, III could breathe easy. Thirty days later, Carter Gaylord Whitney, III was issued his State of New York realtors license.

He'd been in New York two years, and a real estate agent just over one. Unfortunately for Carter, he had been forced to actually work for a living. Parting ways with his friend after six months, Carter had become a gypsy of sorts. Not taking kindly to following rules or reporting to bosses, his ability to sell properties was his saving grace. What he really wanted was to become a broker; that was where the big money was. Regrettably, the State of New York had strict requirements for obtaining a broker's license and he was still shy of meeting the minimum requirements. But if there was one thing Carter Whitney knew how to do was circumvent the rules.

He'd gone from a top Manhattan firm to a one man operation in Queens. The sixty-eight-year-old owner had seen the young agent as a god sent. Carter now had access to documents and records. The employer sponsorship had been the easiest thing to obtain. Everything had a price and there was always someone willing to sell their services for cash. For five hundred dollars he'd gotten a college student to take the forty-five-hour online course. He paid an additional five hundred for the answers to the State exam and managed to pass it himself. Three months later, Carter Gaylord Whitney III, was a licensed New York Real Estate Broker. Carter Whitney was a grand manipulator, but hard work was not what he envisioned as his future. Carter needed a Plan B.

He'd joined the Yacht Club, the Athletic Fellowship, and the Manhattan Union Club. He was spending a fortune but viewed it as an investment. He'd given himself a year. A year from now he'd walk down the aisle with one of New York City's most eligible and wealthy bachelorettes. He'd compounded a list of women personally worth no less than eight figures, with the family worth much, much more. His encounter with Sydney Wetherton had been serendipitous.

Sydney Wetherton was high on his list. He had already eliminated two candidates and met three others. However, Miss Wetherton had been an elusive creature. His attendance at the Yacht Club Awards had been a last minute decision, one that would pay off. He'd managed to bribe himself into a seat at the Wetherton table. He'd attempted conversation with Sydney but had found her interest lacking. His charm had served him well with her parents, who'd been polite and engaging. But Sydney Wetherton was a tough nut to crack. None the less, he was determined. Not only was she rich, she was easy on the eyes.

She had managed to elude him. But Carter Whiney was nothing if not persistent. That next week he'd gone about discovering everything he could about one Sydney Wetherton. Five feet seven inches tall with long blonde hair and soft blue eyes, Sydney Wetherton was a stunner.

She was born and raised in New York City and was single. Articles often showed her accompanied by _"family friend Reece Castle,"_ but they had never been romantically linked. She shared an apartment with a female roommate in Greenwich Village and had recently graduated from Columbia. To his horror and disbelieve she worked for a small non-profit. Carter surmised she was some type of social butterfly, do-gooder. Why anyone with that much money would work was beyond him, but if that's what she wanted to do, so be it. Once they were married it would give him much more time to play. He managed to bump into her at several functions. He'd even reduce himself to renting shoes at a bowling event. He was making sure Sydney Wetherton saw him. He'd heard her pitch for funds at a picnic fundraiser and gotten an idea. He could orchestrate the nomination of her charity for the Athletic Fellowship grant. He himself did not qualify to place the nomination, but he knew someone that did. Someone that owed him.

While his wife was away, Gerald Carson had partied hard with Carter Whitney, and Carter had pictures. Carter Whitney was not beyond blackmail. He had saved those snaps, knowing one day they'd be useful. The day after the nomination, Gerald Carson had sat next to Carter as he deleted the pictures. Carson had thought he'd gotten off easy, he would have nominated the charity without the threat. But Whitney had threatened, not asked.

Nick had dug up the misdeeds of Bryan Whitney, aka Carter Gaylord Whitney III. From his high school transgressions to his murky broker's license and everything in between. Most of the documents he'd obtained were public record; although he'd circumvented the normal channels. Some secrets were just that, secrets of stupid but not illegal acts. At the top of the list was his name. There were no Carter Gaylord Whitney, the first or second. Carter Gaylord Whitney, III was a pretentious, pompous name he had made up.

Bryan Whitney had sixteen outstanding parking tickets in Michigan, and five from the New York City Parking Authority. He lived in an apartment owned by his parents and was always late with the association dues. Petty shit, but shit none the less.

Nick was looking through every document with a fine-tooth-comb. The signature on the letter to the State verifying proof of sales experience was off. But the elderly agent that had issued the letter had since passed away. The shaky signature could have been attributed to his age, or ill health. However, Nick had no doubt Carter Whitney had skirted the rules in obtaining his broker's license. For sure Carter Whitney had had a hand in his university hacking. Nick had reached out to the tight-knit community of computer nerds in the small town who still held a grudge. They'd been dragged into a scandal they had nothing to do with. Cops had snooped around for a year, and most of them had been under suspicion. They suspected Carter had used a local wannabee when they had rebuffed his offer. Carter Whitney had no friends among them. The cops had lacked sophistication or desire, and the intrusion had never fully been investigated. After Carter left and the scandal died down, the university preferred the entire matter be forgotten. But the nerds had investigated themselves and they still had the proof. They were happy to share.

Carter spent money faster than he made it. He worked when he needed cash and managed to keep up appearances. His parents still bailed him out periodically, but for the most part, Carter Whitney pretended to be something he was not, rich. His bank accounts did not reflect the lifestyle he led.

Currently, he freelanced as a broker for high-end developments. His charm facilitated his ability to have people trust him, and his gift of gab always closed the deal. He could be likable and charming, traits that served him well.

He'd gotten a copy of the letter from the Department of Licensing, he obtained copies of Carter's driving history from Michigan, Wisconsin and New York. Nick even secured a copy of the name change paperwork. After what he'd discovered from public records Nick knew he needed to go further. He would now break with the, _not crossing the line_ request. He was willing to blur or cross any line for family. Nick's next stop was Carter's personal computer.

Carter Whitney's personal emails were a treasure trove of information. Among the pornographic messages and other graphic pictures sat his threats to Gerald Carson. The son of a bitch had even transferred copies of the pictures to his cloud account. Gerald Carson was not off the hook. But that was something which was remedied with one click. Carter would never use those, nor the other compromising pictures he'd stored. He had research on individuals, profiles with financial information and background. As Nick read through the various profiles he realized they were all women. Then he found the most telling piece, a list of New York's most eligible women; Sydney and, Lily were on there. Carter Whitney was looking for a rich wife!


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

Tuesday was fueled with nervous energy. Sydney went about her work, with Carter Whitney not far from her thoughts. At three she and her boss met with Clare Adamson. Things were moving faster than expected.

Clare Adamson had reached out to the Director of the Athletic Fellowship. Friends with her husband for over forty years, Lincoln Abernathy confirmed no irregularities had taken place. Nominees were presented to the awards committee with no name profiles, composed of specific history and financial information and the basic goals of the charity. Lincoln advised, even he was unaware of the winners. Ballots were kept secret and an outside accounting firm tallied the votes. Though confident everything was aboveboard, Clare and the board were still uneasy.

Reece had been meeting Sydney outside her office and escorting her home. At night when he got home, he and Jake plotted strategy. He was still waiting to hear from Nick. That call came early Wednesday. He was in town for the weekend. They agreed to meet at Reece and Jake's place later that evening.

On the personal front, he and Sydney were still working things out. One thing was for sure, they were willing to do whatever it took. Sydney admitted she'd been frustrated by Reece's lack of attention, but had let it fester. She knew not addressing it earlier was a mistake; they needed to communicate. Reece confessed he'd shut himself in his bubble and given little thought to anyone else. He had gotten self-absorbed and believed Sydney should have known how overwhelmed he'd been. In short, he expected her to know how he felt without him telling her. Perhaps they had gotten too comfortable with each other. Sydney seemed to always capitulate to Reece's demanding schedule and that was not okay. Reece would agree to things without much thought and later resent it. Sydney admitted she expected Reece to understand how she'd felt, and Reece expected the same. Wednesday the difficult and at times heated conversation had been cathartic. Both acknowledged being comfortable was no excuse for being complacent. They also agreed they were unwilling to give up.

"I hate to admit it, but Jake made a very valid point. He told me I never had to work at winning you, romancing you. He was right. We had been friends so long, we sort of just happened. I'm sorry I never tried harder," Reece confessed.

"That's not true! You've been my best friend forever. We did not just happen! Do you really think I wanted to be your lab partner in high school? Or help with all the stupid pranks you and Jake conjured up? Trust me, we did not just happen. I remember you always sharing your toys. Helping me with my science homework. Saving your chocolate chip cookies at lunch for me. Remember Lucas Mandel? I think we were in fourth grade. It was Field Day, he said I couldn't be on the sack race team because I was a girl. You walked up to him and yanked the sack from his hand and gave it to me. I still remember you telling him girls could do anything boys could. I didn't need you to send me flowers and cupcake. Reece, you've romanced me my whole life," Sydney leaned over and kissed him.

"So… no more cupcakes and flowers?"

Sydney playfully punched his shoulder and smiled.

Deep down they understood the bond they shared was special. They were lucky. The friendship and love that had evolved throughout the years were something that required constant work and attention. They needed to remember that.

"I know it's short notice, but I have the Athletic Fellowship awards luncheon Saturday, and I was wondering if you would be able to join me. If you can't I'll understand. With everything that's happened… Lisa and Jason will be there so it's not like I'll be alone."

"Syd, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Wednesday night when he got home, Nick Ryan was waiting.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19**

If his father were writing the scene he'd describe them as a trio of would be spies, plotting the undoing of a hostile cabal. Jake had been in full spy mode all week, tracking Carter Whitney's every move. Along with what Nick had unearthed Jake had discovered Carter Whitney was a lazy fuck who treated people with disdain. He was rude and demeaning to anyone he considered beneath him.

They sat in the living room comparing notes and sipping beer. Jake discovered Carter had pretty much everything done for him. His laundry and dry cleaning were dropped off once a week, a cleaning service was scheduled every other week and even the groceries were delivered. He kept a Porsche he seldom drove garaged at a hefty fee. His preferred mode of transportation during the week was a luxury car service. He almost never had company and women came and went, but rarely made a repeat appearance. He was rude to the staff, and seldom tipped. He was slow to compliment but quick to complain. Getting information was easy, everyone was eager to talk. Carter Whitney was his own worst enemy.

Reece was staying true to his word, he had not confronted Carter Whitney and was staying out of it. He never promised Sydney others wouldn't get involved.

When Nick started in on his findings, Reece grew visibly angry. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Nick cleared his throat and addressed both Reece and Jake.

"What I'm about to tell you is going to piss you off. It pissed me off too. You need to be smart and plan your next step carefully, you cannot go off halfcocked."

Reece and Jake put their beers down and waited for Nick to continue.

"Carter Whitney is looking to marry money. When I looked through his personal shit I discovered his _research_. He made a list of the ten wealthiest, single women in New York and it appears he's been working his way through the list. He's already dwindled the list to eight, eliminating Mason Overton and Hannah Sherwin. He's been playing tennis with Astrid Jackson and footsies with Jessica Greene and Victoria Martinez. According to his notes, things with Victoria are heating up."

"He has notes? Well, he's an idiot. I know Victoria, and when she finds out what he's up to she'll kick his ass. What kind of research did he do? Hannah Sherwin is gay, it's common knowledge, and Mason Overton has been dating Lewis Spencer for three years. Give us the names and we'll spread the word; but why would that piss us off?" inquired Reece.

Before continuing, Nick pulled out copies of Carter's research and handed them to Reece and Jake as he added, "Because Sydney is number four, and Lily is seventh on his list."

The bottle flew past Reece's head and against the kitchen wall. If it was one thing Jake Castle would protect with life and limb was his sisters. When Carter Whitney placed Lily's name on that list he had declared war.

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch, and I'm going to enjoy it!" Jake was not a happy man.

"No one is going to kill anyone. He's going nowhere with Sydney and Lily is in D.C. Besides, she'd see right through that creep," assured Nick.

They brainstormed and came up with a few things. First, Nick corrected the error with DHSMV that prevented the outstanding tickets from showing on Carter's New York record. Then he went about creating a little havoc for Mr. Whitney. He changed the password and pin to his bank account and placed a disconnect order on his electric bill and internet provider. He upgraded his cable service to include every porn channel available, added the Retirement Living TV, the Puppy Channel and Polka Fest TV. They agreed to keep it frustrating and annoying but not harmful. They were going to get Carter Whitney where he would feel it most, his wallet.

Reece thanked Nick for his help and assured him they would keep him posted.

"You two keep it legal, cause if you guys get into trouble my old man will kick my ass." Nicolas Ryan was not exaggerating. His father would kill him if the twins got into serious trouble and he had any hand in it.

Thursday after just a few hours of sleep Reece grabbed a cup of coffee and headed out. First order of business, exposing Carter's little wife hunting scheme. Just before three, he placed a call. He would be in need of help from his village.

Victoria Martinez was a hard-nosed, no nonsense woman. At five feet two inches tall, the short dynamo could not be underestimated. One of three sisters, all the Martinez women had gone into the family business. Traders at their father's hedge fund, they all had a _take no prisoner's_ reputation, but Victoria was ruthless. Lifelong Hampton neighbors, the Martinez were more than friends. The kids had become close summer allies, and Victoria Martinez had on more than one occasion beaten-up, Jake. Reece liked Victoria.

"As I live and breathe. To what do I owe this unexpected honor," answered Victoria.

"I need you to beat up someone for me," replied a laughing Reece, aware he was metaphorically being truthful.

Victoria laughed as they continued the conversation. Reece explained he needed to see her and talk. He'd rather not get into specifics on the phone but could meet her anywhere within the hour. It was important. Victoria Martinez was intrigued enough to agree to the meeting. She'd be in her office. Reece agreed and headed out. An hour later he was warmly greeted by Victoria. Towering over her, he grabbed her in a bear hug and swung her around.

"God I hate you Castle's!" a laughing Victoria huffed.

"Well we may be taller but you're tougher," declared Reece as he put her down.

"I can still beat you or your brother's ass. Speaking of asses, how is Jake?"

They continued down the hall entering her spacious office with a view of the Hudson. A year older than them, Victoria had whizzed through college and graduated in three years. With her bachelor's degree in hand, she had attacked being a broker with unbridled restraint. Just three years later she had garnered a corner office and made the Who's Who on Wall Street.

"Not that it's not great seeing you, but your little phone call has me a bit curious. Is everything okay?" asked Victoria as they sat.

"I'm sorry about all the secrecy, but I know you're going to blow a gasket when I share this information, so I wanted to do it in person. It's personal, so…"

"Alright…"

"Do you know Carter Whitney, III?"

"Well, yes I know Carter. We've gone out a few times. Seems like a decent enough guy. A little pompous at times, he tries too hard. Tried to sell me a condo, but got offended when I asked for numbers. I don't like to mix business with… Well, I don't do business with acquaintances."

Reece took a breath and laid out all the information he had. He showed her Carter's notes and the list. He explained the incident with Sydney as well. Victoria Martinez was embarrassed. She thanked Reece and tried to end the conversation. She was not one to be taken advantage of, and Reece having this information had shown a vulnerability she did not appreciate. But Reece was not going anywhere.

"Look, Vic, you're a friend. I know you, you're a powerful woman and like Sydney and Lily, I would kick anyone's ass that would try to take advantage of you. Don't be embarrassed. Let's be thankful we discovered this pricks plan and let's use it against him." Reece reached out to his friend and reassured her.

"We need to tell the others," she'd softly added.

"I will. Just let me handle this. I promise he will regret it. But we have to play this close to the vest. The circle of people that know is very small. I haven't even told Sydney or Lily, so please keep it tight."

There was no way she would be sharing this information with anyone. Aside from the fact she felt used and humiliated if the son of a bitch showed up dead, she'd be a prime suspect. Whatever the plan, she was in. Now, if she could only control the urge to find Carter and kill him. Reece promised to call as soon as they ironed out the kinks to their plan. Victoria assured him she'd be ready.

Reece walked out of the building, turned left and headed towards Sydney's office.


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20**

She was surprised when Lisa announced Reece was in the lobby. They had talked thing out and cleared the air of any past slights, grievances, hurt or misunderstanding. They had both agreed to a fresh start of sorts. Things were good. She smiled and walked out to greet him.

"Hey handsome, what brings you out so early?' she said as she placed a peck on his lips.

"Wanted to see the prettiest girl in town," he'd replied.

"Ok, that's just dime store, romance novel drivel. Please stop," Lisa interjected, as she mimicked gagging.

Reece took a seat on the small loveseat located in her office and watched as Sydney continued working. She was finishing up and would be ready to leave soon. He still had to tell her about Carter's trophy wife plan but wanted to do that at home. She would be upset and there was no need for everyone in the office to know. She had been interrupted by an urgent call which had run longer than expected. Two hours later they were headed out the door, it was almost six o'clock.

"I'm sorry about the wait," she'd apologetically declared.

"No big deal. I don't mind. How about I take you to dinner?" he'd replied with a smile.

"How about I make us dinner and we watch a movie? And before you say no, Jennifer is in Minnesota attending some type of work seminar. She won't be back till Sunday," declared Sydney.

"In that case, lead the way."

They stopped at the corner bodega for some tomatoes, giving Reece an opportunity to grabbed ice cream and a bag of sweet potato chips, insisting they were a winning combination. He took her hand as they walked the block and a half to her apartment. Things were beginning to feel normal again and he hoped tonight's revelations would not hamper the mood.

Once inside the apartment, Reece headed to the kitchen, starting on the salad while Sydney changed. He pulled out the bottle of white wine he knew she always kept in the fridge, grabbed two glasses and poured.

When she joined him, she was surprised to see the wine. They were not in the habit of having wine with dinner as they usually preferred iced tea or water. She pulled out the pasta and set the water to boil. Opening the refrigerator, she grabbed the container of homemade pink sauce her mother had sent her home with and poured it into a saucepan.

They had a quiet dinner, cleared the table and sat to watch a rerun of Law and Order. The show had been on the air since 1990 and was the longest running police procedural television show in the U.S. He knew he needed to tell her what was going on; he was simply prolonging the inevitable.

"Syd, we need to talk. It's about Carter Whitney…"

"I knew something was up with you. What have you done?" she said as she turned and poked his chest.

"Nothing… Well, almost nothing. This is serious. You're not going to like what I have to say, but you need to know. I promised you I wouldn't confront Carter and I have kept my word. Although God only knows how I've managed."

Sydney was angry. Not knowing the details, she had felt betrayed. She had told Reece she would handle Carter and yet he had proceeded to intervene. This went against all they had talked about. They had agreed to be honest and open. Less than a week later, he was keeping secrets and overstepping; not only was she angry, she was disappointed and hurt.

"This is your idea of an honest an open relationship? We agreed to communicate, not keep secrets. I told you I'd handle Carter. I asked you to let me fight my own battles, but no! Reece Castle to the rescue! I am not a helpless damsel in distress and I don't need you, or anyone else to rescue me at every turn. I don't know what to say…" she was yelling, a rare display of her temper evident.

"Look, I know you think I betrayed you, and if that's the case so be it! All I did was look into Carter Whitney; and be glad I did, because this is more than just about you. Now sit down and hear me out. If after you've heard everything you still feel the same, I'll leave. But rest assured, Carter Whitney will hear from me," an angry Reece loudly replied.

With pursed lips and crossed arms, Sydney took a seat and listened.

Reece was methodical. He outlined what Ryan had discovered, showing her the name change documents, the university hack investigation, and questionable licenses. He informed her Carter had blackmailed a friend into nominating her organization for the grant. But assured her they had found no wrongdoing with the selection process. He told her about the compromising pictures Carter had used and how they had permanently deleted them from his server. Then came the difficult part.

"Syd, what I'm about to tell you is the hardest part of all. I say this because I feel responsible. If I had gone to that damn gala none of this would have happened. This is all on me." Reece proceeded to pull up the list of names and handed then to Sydney.

She stared at the list, headlined by one simple word: _Possibilities_.

1\. Mason Overton

2\. Lindsey Marie Copper

3\. Victoria Martinez

4\. Sydney Wetherton

5\. Jessica Greene

6\. Astrid Jackson

7\. Lily Castle

8\. Sophia Bruster-Brown

9\. Elizabeth Morgan

10\. Hannah Sherwin

Sydney read the list, recognizing the names. There were Lily and Astrid Jackson who she'd been playing tennis with since fifth grade. Lindsey Cooper who she'd met through Astrid, and Victoria Martinez, who she'd met at a Castle bar-b-q. The other women she knew of or had met in passing.

"What is this?"

He took a deep breath and proceeded.

"That is a hit list. Carter Whitney is looking to marry rich, and that is his list of prospective brides. As you can see, you are number four and Lily is seventh. He is looking to woo a rich socialite of a certain age bracket and ride the gravy train. With just a few inquiries we determined the placement is by net worth. I also have notes he's kept on each encounter. Nick and Jake wouldn't let me have the notes he made on you, but if you want them Nick can get them for you." By now Reece had her hands cupped in his. His voice had lowered and his gaze was zeroed in on hers.

The look on Sydney's face was one of shock and confusion. She sat silent, one hand covering her mouth as tears gathered.

"Nick and Jake know? Why would you tell them?" she'd uttered in a hauntingly low voice.

"Because this guy is scum and I promised you I would stay out of it. Because I love you, and I needed help. And because Nick and Jake are my brothers and they care about you and Lily." Reece took a breath and continued.

"I already told Victoria. I think those women need to be warned. Vic is the only one on the list, aside from you and Lily I know; I felt she needed a heads up. Victoria has been seeing Carter, I couldn't let him hurt her; she's a friend." His words were guarded and measured.

Sydney threw her arms around Reece and cried. She felt used and violated.

"Syd, don't cry. We've already put certain plans in motion and we have other things in the works. Carter Whitney is going to pay. Please don't cry," he'd softly added as he wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"Can you kill him for me?" she'd hiccupped.

"I think we have something better in mind. Not as messy," he'd replied with a smile.


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

They had just over twenty-four hours. He'd formulated a plan after Sydney had fallen asleep. She'd been upset and worried. She'd finally confessed she believed Carter knew where she lived. He had offered to walk her home that night, and how else would he know she lived within walking distance of the restaurant. She told him she was "creeped out," he could tell she was scared.

The new information had enraged Reece. However, he'd bottled up the furry as to not upset Sydney further. He had insisted on sleeping on the couch, she'd laughed and complimented his unneeded gallantry. He'd regretted his actions when he awoke with every muscle in his six feet four frame cramped and aching.

Friday, and with little time to work everything out, he decided it was a good day to play hooky. He could hear the shower going and knew Sydney was up. He set the coffee pot to brew and rummaged through the cabinets in search of her tea. When she exited her bedroom she was greeted by a smiling Reece.

"You know, you could have slept in my room," she'd smirked while tossing him a clean tee shirt.

"Why Miss Wetherton, are you trying to have your wicked ways with me? I never…"

"Oh yes you have you smart ass," she'd countered with a kiss.

He laid out his idea while they had breakfast. He'd walked her to the subway, kissed her goodbye, flagged a cab and headed home. The plan was not a complicated one but had a lot of moving parts. Time was of the essence.

His first call was to Jake who was not pleased with the early wake-up call. Call number two was to Victoria. At eight, Victoria had already worked half her day. When Reece outlined his plan Victoria was more than willing to play the part. Victoria Martinez was no actress, but this little role would garnish her an Oscar. They agreed to meet at her office at three. She had a huge conference room available, equipped with every computer and communications gadget on the market. He then called Lily and invited her to the festivities.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll take the two o'clock train and be at Penn Station by five. I'm guessing Mom and Dad have no clue what's going on," added Lily.

"It's all happened so fast, I really haven't had a chance to tell anyone aside from those involved. I'll call Dad, see if he wants to play." Both he and Lily laughed.

Before ending the call Reece asked if she could reach out to Elizabeth Morgan. Though they'd lost touch, Lily and Elizabeth had been college friends. Lily was confident Elizabeth would be there. She reminded Reece to let their mom know she'd be crashing in the guest room for the weekend.

Richard Castle sat at his computer nursing his early morning coffee. Once a sign of murder and mayhem, early morning calls were now uncommon. He looked at the screen and answered inquisitively.

"Reece? Is everything alright?"

"Hey Dad, sorry to call so early, but I have a question. Do you know anyone at the Athletic Fellowship? I can't get into specific but it's kind of important. Oh, and by the way, Lily will be here on the four forty-five from D.C. She asked I tell you, so mom knows to get the guest room ready. She'll be here through Sunday."

"Well and a good morning to you too. Your mother and I are fine, thanks for asking. Is Lily coming for a visit? What are you all up to? Is everything okay?" a concerned Castle inquired.

"Dad, everything is fine, I promise. Now, can you please answer my question?"

"Oh, Fellowship, right. Yes, I know a couple of the board members. I've been a member forever, actually, we're all members," Castle nonchalantly replied.

"We're members?" a frustrated Reece exclaimed.

Castle explained he'd gotten a membership when Alexis was five so she could take private swimming lessons. Alexis learned to swim there, but most of her friends attended the Y so they seldom patronized the club. He'd taken their mother to the gym once, but she'd not taken kindly to the make-up clad debutants interrupting her workout to giggle at him. He'd made sure when Lily was born the membership was updated. The private preschooler swim classes were excellent, and once elected to the senate, their mother appreciated the privacy of the restaurant. Though it was seldom used, he made sure his business manager paid the annual dues.

Castle was happy to hear Reece and Sydney were working things out. Reece provided brief details on the Carter incident and asked his father for help. Richard Castle could not contain himself, he was as excited as a five-year-old with a new puppy. He picked up his phone and called Harold Wetherton; they had a mission.

The moment she walked into her office Sydney reached for the phone and called Astrid and Lindsey. The information she provided was cryptic but she assured them it was imperative they meet her at Victoria Martinez office at three. Astrid assured Lindsey if Sydney said it was vital, it was. Sydney provided Victoria's office address and bid her friends goodbye.

By noon things were falling into place. So far the only ones missing were Sophia Bruster-Brown and Hannah Sherwin. Sophia Bruster-Brown was a well-established photographer, dialed the listed number. The receptionist was friendly and polite. He'd left a message; it was not promising. Hannah Sherwin proved less challenging. When he'd dialed her office number he was surprised to reach her immediately. Hannah had gone to school with them; she was a bit leery of the mysterious meeting. He assured her it was on the up-and-up and asked she call Victoria Martinez or Sydney. Hannah agreed to call Victoria and check out his story. Twenty minutes later a laughing Victoria called Reece. It served him right, she'd told him. He and Jake had a well earn reputation; just because they were adults was no reason to believe they had given up their childish ways. It was prudent to be careful of any Castle story. Hannah would attend their meeting, Victoria had vouched for him. That left Sophia.

Harold Wetherton and Richard Castle had clout and were not afraid to use it when the occasion called for it. When the plan was outlined, Harold was on the phone to Lincoln Abernathy in seconds. Harold requested a table at the awards luncheon. Both he and Castle, as members were entitled to attend, but a table sat ten and the luncheon was less than twenty-four hours away. Without hesitation, Lincoln assured them they would squeeze in an additional table. The stage was set. Though they never before had attended, wild horses could not keep Richard Castle nor Harold Wetherton from making an appearance this year.

By twelve forty-five Sydney was headed out the door. With the luncheon on Saturday, her boss had insisted she take the rest of the day off. They were still in the dark as to what the board would do, so tensions were high. There was no doubt in Jason Beecher's mind if Clare Adamson believed there was a spec of impropriety in any aspect of the process she would decline the award. He'd simply have to wait and see.

Reece had checked off everything on his list. His father had called and assured him everything was a go on their end. Jake had called and given the thumbs-up on his list of tasks, and Sydney had made contact with Lindsey and Astrid. His stomach was growling, it was one and all he'd had all day was a bagel and coffee. He and Sydney agreed to meet for a late lunch and then head to Victoria's.

They decided to meet near Wall Street. Sydney suggested the always crowded, but never disappointing lobster roll joint a few blocks from Victoria's office. The casual restaurant with counter service offered the best Maine-style lobster rolls this side of Kennebunk. She knew Reece liked the place, and today she wanted to do something for him. He smiled. Sydney was not too fond of lobster rolls, but he loved them. The trek to Battery Park would take him at least forty-five minutes.

He couldn't help but grin the minute he saw her. The last few days he'd been feeling the same way he'd felt every morning when he walked into Marlowe Prep and saw her sitting in homeroom. His father was right, he could not imagine his world without her.

He ordered the lobster roll and a bag of ships, Sydney went with the salad with extra blueberries and sunflower seeds. They managed to find a table and settle in. Sydney was just as much in the dark as everyone else. She tried to coax some information from him, but he just laughed. As she sipped her blueberry lemon soda he sat back and stared. He could sit there and watch her for hours.

"You're staring and it's kind of creepy," she'd said reprimanded.

"I don't care. I will always stare at you. Creepy, cheesy, call it whatever you like, get used to it because I intend on doing it forever." He was dead serious.

Sydney blushed, offered him a sip of her soda and smiled.

They could not have timed it better had they tried. They cleared their table and headed out for the four block walk to Victoria's office. It was twenty to three when they entered the elevator for the ride to the twenty-eighth floor. The receptionist greeted them and showed them to the conference room. Jake was talking with Jessica Greene when Reece and Sydney walked in. For the next thirty minutes, as the women arrived the chatter grew. Some had not seen each other in years, all wondered what the powwow was about. By three thirty Victoria cleared her throat and got everyone's attention.

"Ladies, I know you are all anxious to know what this meeting is about. Trust me when I say, you will not regret attending. When Reece Castle showed up at my office a few days ago, I too was a bit wary; after all, those of us that attended Marlow Prep are well aware of the mayhem the Castle twins are capable of. Today, however, I guarantee you, we all owe these two a debt of gratitude. So without further ado, I give the floor to Reece.

"Thank you Victoria, and thank you all for coming on such short notice, I know everyone is busy. This really started with Sydney, so I will defer to her so she can provide some background." Reece nodded at Sydney, who rose and addressed the group.

Sydney told them about her new job and about the Fellowship grant. She skipped over some personal details but told them about her ultimate encounter with Carter Whitney at the restaurant. Then she related the gist of the conversation and the implied threat. The silence was captivating.

"Sydney, I'm sorry about this mess, but what does that have to do with any of us?" Hannah Sherwin interrupted.

Reece stood and continued.

Without specifics as to how the information was obtained Reece provided the women with the details of Carter Gaylord Whitney, III. Some of the women knew him, others had never heard of him. Then Victoria hit the button on a remote and a copy of the nondescript list with the women's names and pictures flashed on the screen. The title of _Possibilities_ required some explanation. After Reece got finished explaining Carter's plan the women were speechless. Among the silence, you could feel the anger. Finally, Hanna Sherwin broke the awkward quiet.

"Obviously he's not only an asshole but a moron as well. I've been open and out since high school. Was he expecting I change my sexual identity with one look at him?" Everyone laughed.

Victoria took the floor, they could not let this man get away with this. If he did it to them what was to stop him from doing it to others if his current _list_ did not pan out. It would require they all attend the luncheon tomorrow. A table had already been arranged. Reece proceeded to explain further. There was really not much for the women to do other than show up. He was disappointed not all ten would be there but they would give Sophia the head's up later. Mason Overton interrupted and informed them Sophia was in Boston. She stepped out and called her. Twenty minutes later Mason Overton informed the group they'd be a full house; Sophia would be there on the first train in the morning. With one last explanation, the group sat back and listened in as Victoria Martinez went about earning her Academy Award. She took a deep breath, pressed the speaker button, dialed the number and waited.

"Hello?" answered Carter Whitney.

"Carter? Hi, it's Victoria."

"Victoria! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I thought you were mad at me?" answered a smug Carter.

"No, why would I be mad at you. As a matter of fact, the reason you haven't heard from me is that I've been running the numbers on that deal you proposed. My father and I are rather impressed. I think that building is worth looking into. I know you were talking a unit, but we are looking at a bigger piece of the pie. I was hoping you could give me that personal tour you promised," she'd sheepishly added.

"How about Sunday. I can pick you up, we can do brunch at the Plaza, make a day of it. I'll make it worth your while in more ways than one," he'd snickered.

Victoria stuck out her tongue, mimicking gagging and continued the charade.

"I was thinking more along the lines of tomorrow. I have a family thing Sunday, but I'm free tomorrow. Besides, you owe me a ride in your Porsche …" she'd said in her most seductive voice.

"Unfortunately I have this thing... An awards luncheon. I need to make an appearance. Business you know. But we can do dinner. Maybe extend it to the Plaza's early breakfast," he'd chuckle.

"I guess we'll just have to make it some other time. Too bad, I was looking forward to that ride. Last time I was in a Porsche I was not impressed. I bit cramp if I do say so myself. Not much room to maneuver…" she'd giggled in response.

"How about if you go to the luncheon with me. We can spend the afternoon together. Perhaps go tour the building afterward, have an early dinner and see where the evening takes us. Trust me, there's nothing like a 911 Turbo Porsche Cabriolet, it rides like a dream. We can put the top down and go for a spin, maybe find a nice spot so I can show you the difference between cramped and cozy," he added.

Victoria rolled her eyes as the others refrained from laughing. "It's a date. What time should I expect you?"

"How about eleven? That gives us more than enough time… It's Country Club casual. But I'm sure whatever you wear, you'll look amazing."

"That's so sweet. I'm at the Manhattan Riverview, have the doorman call up when you arrive. I'll meet you downstairs. Can't wait. See you tomorrow,' she sweetly added.

"Tomorrow beautiful; can't wait."

The minute the line went dead and Victoria disconnected the speaker the group exploded.

"Victoria, my grandmother would be jealous. In the immortal words of Martha Rodgers, _"That, kiddo was one hell of a performance!"_ Reece declared.

"Alright ladies, we'll meet at the Athletic Fellowship at eleven. Use the east entrance, just in case. Jake will be waiting there. The minute Carter arrives to pick up Victoria she'll call me so we can put the other phase of the plan in motion. If anyone has any questions or any problems you all have my number. Again, ladies, I thank you."

As with any gathering, some stayed behind catching up. Sydney was exhausted, she Reece and Jake bid farewell and headed home. Jake was running late for a rugby game and grabbed a cab as Sydney and Reece walked towards the subway.


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22**

He'd spent the night at Sydney's, no longer relegated to the couch. Sydney was nervous and hadn't slept well, she was up by seven. Jake would be bringing him a change of clothing on his way to the luncheon. By the time Jake arrived Sydney was pacing the apartment. Reece changed into the slacks and sports coat his brother had brought, quickly did his tie, and slipped on his shoes. Sydney looked stunning in a simple short A-line tank cocktail dress. She added a light sweater, slipped on her heels, grabbed Reece's hand and prepared to take control.

It was ten forty-five when they pulled-up to the Athletic Fellowship's main entrance. Jake headed to the east entrance while Reece and Sydney entered the lobby. Sydney provided her invitation, and they were waved in. At eleven fifteen a smiling Richard Castle arrived at the east entrance with Lily on his arm.

So far so good, Jake surrendered the east entrance duties to Lily and headed towards the main valet. The few curbside parking spots available had been reserved for board members and a few VIP guests, all others were to park in the adjoining parking garage. But with the slip of three hundred dollars, they'd make room for one more car. Jake provided the description; vintage, red 911 turbo cabriolet Porsche convertible. His next call was to Uncle Javi.

By eleven thirty a large portion of the guests were making their way to their tables. Drinks were flowing and people mingled. At the east entrance, Lily and the other women gathered, all anxious to watch the festivities. Mason Overton with the help of Victoria Martinez had come up with an added bonus, something Sydney and Reece were unaware of. Lily was delighted with the added surprise and assured the seven women they could count on her support.

It was a short ride from Victoria Martinez's apartment to the Fellowship building. Carter had arrived just past eleven. Once the concierge announced his arrival, she dialed Reece's number; they were on the way. Carter greeted her with a kiss peck to her cheek, insisting on opening the car door for her. He'd tipped the doorman and pulled out into traffic. The compliments flowed as he marveled at how beautiful she looked, he'd even asked if she wanted him to pull the top up, to avoid messing her hair. Twenty minutes later they approached the club. Carter pulled up to the main entrance to drop her off, expecting to be waved off. He was surprised when the valet went for his door.

"I thought today was restricted parking?" asked Carter.

"Yes, sir it is. Restricted to board members. However, we do have several slots for members, on a first-come-first serve basis. Are you a member?" the polite valet inquired.

Carter pulled out his club identification, displaying it for the valet. "Make sure you park it close by and take it easy, this car is worth more than you'll see in your lifetime," a pompous Carter added.

"Yes sir, we'll take good care of her. She'll be right there," the young man added, pointing to the end of the block.

Carter walked around the car, watched as the teenager carefully pulled around the four vehicles and pull into the slot just a few feet away. Carter took Victoria by the arm, declaring it was surely his luck day. He presented his invitation and membership card and they headed towards the dining room.

With Victoria Martinez on his arm, Carter Whitney strutted into the dining room like a proud peacock. He was well aware that Victoria was recognized on sight. A socialite and powerfully successful woman, he was not about to let this opportunity pass by. He made his way to as many of the board members as he could find, introducing Victoria to one and all. It was taking everything she could muster not to run. He was an arrogant ass and it was plainly visible to all. Carter spotted Gerald Carson and headed towards him.

"Carson, great to see you, buddy. This is Victoria Martinez, my date. Victoria is with Martinez and Benson, she's one of _the_ Martinez's. Victoria, this is Gerald Carson he does real estate."

Victoria was well aware who Gerald Carson was, and the fact that Carter had just dismissively introduced him was making her blood boil. Carson politely exchanged greetings, presenting his wife to Carter and Victoria.

"Gerald Carson? Didn't you help negotiate that water-front revitalization project? I think I read you arranged for many of the historical buildings to be preserved and incorporated into the new design. I can't tell you how impressed I am. We are too quick to tear down old beautiful buildings that just need some TLC. I think it's a wonderful project. If you're still involved and need any investors, look me up, I may just have a few names for you. We are always looking for worthwhile opportunities," Victoria had said with a smile.

Carson smiled, thanking Victoria for her kind words. He assured her he'd keep her in mind, as he and his wife headed back to their table. Victoria and Carter had grabbed drinks and gone about locating their table. The round tables sat ten people. They were seated towards the front, amongst a variety of members. When Harold Wetherton sat to his left, Carter could not have been happier.

The luncheon started right at noon. The salad was served first, tapering the conversation. The main course followed salmon in a sweet chili sauce or pan seared rib-eyed steak in béarnaise sauce accompanied by fresh in season vegetables. The conversation flowed as Carter talked up Harold Wetherton, at times even ignoring Victoria. Harold feigned interest politely following the conversation.

"You know, my daughter's organization is nominated for this grant. We are so proud of her. She's doing a wonderful job," a boastful Harold Wetherton had told the group.

"Well Mr. Wetherton, I can't take credit for it because I've only been a member for a short time, but I did put a bug in Gerald Carson's ear about Sydney's organization," an inflated Carter proclaimed.

While Harold was keeping Carter busy, the back table filled. Mason Overton, Lindsey Copper, Elizabeth Morgan, Jessica Greene, Astrid Jackson, Sophia Buster-Brown, Hannah Sherwin, Lily, Jake and Richard Castle sat back enjoyed their meal and waited.

It was just short of two o'clock when the last of the dessert dishes were cleared away. Lincoln Abernathy approached the dais and called the meeting to order.

"Ladies and gentlemen honored guest. The Athletic Fellowship takes great pride in its contributions to countless community endeavors. We strive to assist those in our community that are not as fortunate. With that goal in mind, we are honored to present our annual community grants to those organizations whose primary objective is to help the less fortunate resident in the City of New York. Before I announce the nominees and the selected grant recipients I must add that due to a slight miss communication, one of the nominees has requested they be pulled from contention. I want to clarify that no wrong doing has taken place. However, we have honored their request and are confident the board will be placing them into contention next year. They are a wonderful organization."

The disappointment was visible, so Reece took Sydney's hand and squeezed. They knew Clare Adamson had decided to err on the side of caution, avoiding any whispers or rumors. Sydney felt a pang of guilt. She smiled and nodded at Reece, letting him know she was okay. Jason Beecher, sitting alongside her, nudge her and smiled, indicating it would all work out. Clare Adamson cleared her throat in an effort to get everyone's attention and softly added they would be just fine.

As Lincoln Abernathy continued to speak Victoria excused herself. A few minutes later, while Carter conversed with the others at the table, Richard Castle approached and took Victoria's empty chair. Castle leaned across Carter and greeted Harold Wetherton. Castle waved over a waiter and ordered three whiskeys.

"I'm sorry but that seat's taken. My girlfriend just stepped out for a minute," Carter declared.

"Oh, it's alright son, I'll only be a minute," a grinning Castle added.

The waiter approached, placing the three tumblers in front of Castle. Castle handed one to Harold and placed the third glass in front of Carter.

The award recipients were named and each representative stood to thank the Athletic Fellowship and its members. When the recipient of the $75,000 grant was announced to a thundering of applause Richard Castle elbowed Carter Whitney and pointed to the rear table. It took Carter a few seconds to see Victoria sitting amongst the women waving at him. As he looked further he realized he recognized all the women at the table. Carter tried to get up only to have Richard Castle and Harold Wetherton push down on his shoulders. Carter Whitney was not going anywhere.

"Have a seat Carter, we're just getting started," announced a somber Harold Wetherton.

Once the awards were announced and the speeches completed. Lincoln Abernathy congratulated everyone and adjourned the meeting. The dining room cleared quickly, and the staff went about clearing the tables. Sydney and Reece walked out with the members of their group, said their good byes and returned to the dining room. With Lincoln Abernathy's permission, Harold tipped the wait staff and had them clear the room for a few minutes.

"I don't know what's going on here but I have to go. Victoria?" an embolden Carter declared as he rose.

"Sit down Bryan, you're not going anywhere!" bellowed Reece.

At the use of his real name Carter Whitney had gone pale. He slithered back to his seat and waited.

The women at the rear now stood and took seats along the table where Carter sat. The stares alone could have rendered him dead. Victoria rose and walked up to Carter.

"The jig is up. Don't bother denying it, we all know about your rich wife list. You are a despicable man and rest assured it will be a cold day in hell before any woman in New York City dates you. You, Mister Whitney are persona non grata. And don't you even think of ever calling me again. I have a slew of attorney's that would love nothing better than to make your life a living litigation hell, so you'll be wise to forget I exist," Victoria added.

Carter was speechless, but the anger within him was visible. His face was red, his lips pursed, and his fists balled up. He gave the appearance of a cornered animal.

Reece stood and took a step towards Carter, Jake interceded stopping his brother's stride. Seeing Reece's momentum Carter rose.

"Listen here, _Bryan_ …" Reece added while pointing at Carter. "Sydney Wetherton is out of your league. It would be in your best interest if you stayed as far from her as humanly possible. Am I understood, _Bryan_?" an angry Reece added.

"I don't threaten easily. I don't know how you got the information about my name but there's nothing illegal about changing your name. As far as you ladies are concerned, I have no idea what you're talking about. It's a big city, and yes, I've dated one or two of you, but since when is asking a woman out a crime? Maybe it was unconventional the way I asked Sydney out, but don't forget she showed up. I've bump into her at several functions and she's always been unaccompanied. I've never seen you before. Seems to me she's a free agent. Buddy, I'm thinking you're the one with the problem," Carter sneered at Reece.

Sydney held Reece back, taking his hand and pulling him towards her. Lily smiled, stood and stared at Carter.

"Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Lily Castle, number seven on your list. Next to me is Mason Overton, next to her are Linsey Copper and Jessica Green. Across from us is Astrid Jackson, Sophia Bruster-Brown, and Victoria Martinez who you already know. Victoria looked at Carter, forced a smile and shot him the bird. Lily laughed and continued. At the end are Elizabeth Morgan and Hannah Sherwin. We, along with Sydney are your list of _possibilities_ , and trust me when I say; there is **no** possibility," Lily pointed out.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" yelled a now flustered Carter.

"Give it up dude we've seen the list," declared Jake.

"If you've seen this so called list than you're guilty of a crime. So I would be very careful what you accuse me of because computer hacking is a federal offense," a smug Carter proclaimed.

"First of all, you'll need proof. Second, I'm sure once you bring it to the attention of the authorities, and they start to investigate, certain things will come to light; we'll make sure of that. Oh let's see, there was that little matter of fake id's and hacking of a university computer system. Of course, nothing was ever proven, but I think with the combined resources of everyone in this room new evidence will be uncovered. By the way Bryan, you'd be surprised what is public record these days." An unapologetic Jake declared.

Harold Wetherton rose and faced a standing Carter. "Carter, I am a very rich man. There are few things I cherish more than my family, and there is nothing more important to me than my daughter. If you ever come near her or for that matter any of the young women here today, I assure you there will be no place on God's green earth you will be able to hide. Are we understood?" This was a side of Harold Wetherton no one, not even Sydney had ever seen.

Harold Wetherton meant every word he'd said and Carter Whitney had no doubt he would follow through. His only exit was through the row of women he'd once considered targets. He'd have to walk the gauntlet. He faced his enemies and stormed out.

The walk through the lobby seemed endless. He fished out the valet ticket from his jacket and headed towards the door. He looked for the valet, interrupting a lively conversation among the two teenagers.

"You! I need my car keys, now!" an angry Carter barked as he tossed the ticket at them.

"Hey mister, isn't that your car?" the laughing teenager pointed.

There in front of Carter's prized Porsche stood two of New York's finest and an NYPD tow truck. Carter ran towards his hoisted vehicle, yelling and screaming. As he approached, a uniformed officer stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Is this your vehicle sir?" the officer inquired.

"What the fuck are you doing? Do you know how much that car is worth? Put my car down! If there's as much as a scratch on it I will have your job!" Carter's face was beet red. The angry words were delivered in rapid succession, spit gathering at the corners of his mouth. It was not a pretty sight.

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen. You can pick up your vehicle at the impound yard after you've paid the outstanding judgments'," the officer replied.

"I demand to speak to a supervisor. I cannot believe this! Call a god damn supervisor, now!" Carter screamed.

"Sir, I am the supervisor, Captain Javier Esposito. Here's the information you'll need. You can call the number on the back if you have any questions." Esposito smiled and extended the paperwork to Carter. In an act of sheer stupidity, Carter swatted Esposito's hand, hitting his forearm and hand, making him drop the documents. As Carter's face hit the pavement, Esposito slapped on the handcuffs.

"You are under arrest for battery on a law enforcement officer and littering." Esposito pulled him up to his feet and helped secure a stunned Carter into the backseat of the patrol car. He'd responded to the scene to make sure everything was legit. As Jake had advised, the vehicle was just where he'd said and did have outstanding, unpaid tickets and a court judgment. In addition, a computer check revealed a warrant from Michigan for unpaid traffic tickets. It was just a simple tow, but shit for brains had to ruin his day by stepping over the line. Esposito was not happy.

Back inside, the unaware group readied to depart. Just as Reece and Sydney stood to thank their friends, Victoria Martinez took control. Victoria had been elected spokesperson and she now addressed the uninformed Reece and Sydney.

"We know this whole thing started when Carter zeroed in on you. We all benefitted today from Reece looking out for you. Some of us are well aware of the pranks those two are capable of, so you can't blame us for being a bit leery at first. But they saved the day," Victoria pointed out.

Victoria approached Sydney and continued. "We can't thank you enough. Sydney, we are so sorry this fiasco resulted in your agency losing that grant money. We know how worthy your organization is and how much good that money would have done. Anyway, we talked it over, and on behalf of all of us, we have pitched in and will be writing a check for fifty thousand dollars to your organization. It's the least we can do." Sydney hugged her friends, thanking them for their generosity.

As they walked out Lily informed her brothers their mother expected them home for dinner. She had instructed Lily to make sure to keep all three of them out of jail. They could explain themselves at dinner she'd warned. Sydney was expected as well. She kissed them and went to join her father who was laughing it up with Harold Wetherton.

Reece took Sydney's hand, smiled and inquired what she'd like to do. The day's event had lifted a tremendous weight off her shoulders and you could see the noticeable difference. She was happy and worry free. Reece could not help but smile.

"I have an idea. How about we go get some cupcakes? It's not that far, and we can buy some for dessert tonight. Dad will love them, and you know how my mom feels about chocolate. What do you say?" a cheerful Reece suggested.

"You had me at cupcakes; lead the way handsome."

His ringing cellphone snapped him out the trance looking at Sydney always placed him in. He dug the phone out of his pocket and answered. His uncle delivered the unexpected news that Carter Whitney had let his stupid get the better of him and had ended up going to jail. The charges weren't serious enough to keep him long and he would most likely be released on his own recognizance, but he'd still have an unpleasant experience. The unpaid tickets would keep the precious car in the impound lot until all fees were satisfied, and since he'd be in jail at least through Sunday, it would be a few days before Carter could get everything straightened out. Between the penalties, court costs, fines and attorney's fees, Carter Gaylord Whitney, III would not be forgetting the day anytime soon. Reece thanked his uncle for the update, beaming as he ended the call.

"That was Uncle Javi, you'll never guess what happened. Carter swatted him when he tried to give him the impound information, all the papers went flying when he hit Uncle Javi's hand. He kept ranting and raving about how he'd have " _his job."_ Carter's spending the night in jail. Uncle Javi did say he's going to keep him in the precinct holding cell as long possible so he doesn't have to be at the booking facility longer than needed. He's taking pity on him; said with his mouth and attitude they'd kick his ass in no time."

"I want him miserable but I don't want him hurt," a concerned Sydney added.

"Nah, Uncle Javi won't let him get hurt… too much paperwork," a laughing Reece assured her as he placed a gentle kiss on her temple.


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23**

They'd spent time with his parents Saturday night telling his mother all about the Carter, a.k.a. Bryan debacle. Happy to see them together, the news of his and Sydney's reconciliation was greeted with approval by the entire Castel clan. Kate and Castle were relieved and delighted to see the whole mess settled. Sunday, before heading back to D.C., Lily joined them for lunch. Dinner had been at the Wetherton's who also appeared to be delighted at seeing them together once again.

The week started on a pleasant note. Monday he'd made his way to class with a smile he just could not hide. Friday would be the first day of spring, and the weather was already a nice fifty-seven degree. The sun was shining and Sydney was back, he was a happy man. The week promised to be a busy one, he and Sydney had already posted their schedules on the calendar. Sydney was attending the movie premiere with a friend Friday, and nothing was scheduled for the weekend. His plan was one of sleep and relaxation and a few extracurricular activities with Sydney; none involved leaving the apartment.

Monday and Tuesday had been hectic and uncharacteristically busy for Sydney. She'd burned the midnight oil Monday, making for a groggy Tuesday. Reece had surprised her with take-out Tuesday night at her apartment. Wednesday morning a messenger delivered a fifty thousand dollar cashier's check to her office. Her friends had been as generous as promised. During an office meeting later that afternoon, Clare Adamson had announced an additional anonymous donation of fifty thousand dollars; Sydney suspected her father and Richard Castle had something to do with that. With another crazy day on the horizon, Thursday she arranged to take Friday off. She called Reece to let him know.

"Hey, handsome. I'm celebrating the vernal equinox, so I took tomorrow off. Having my hair done and a mani-pedi, special occasion that equinox thing. Think you can meet me for a late lunch? I'm buying," she added.

Reece laughed. "Spring does call for celebration. If we meet halfway I can make it. I have a three o'clock class and I can't miss it."

"That's perfect. I have the first appointment of the day and I should be done no later than twelve, twelve thirty. Can you make it at one? We can meet at that noodle place on Amsterdam, it's about fifteen minutes from the lab."

"That works. But isn't it a ways for you?"

"Reece, I'm free all day. Love ya, got to go, Lisa's at lunch and the phones are ringing off the wall," she hurriedly said.

There was that stupid grin again. His lab partners were beginning to look at him funny, but he did not care. Before long he was back at his desk buried in notes and articles. For the first time in a long, while he'd gotten sucked up into a lengthy discussion, it was past five when he walked out of the building. He texted Sydney, happy to hear she too was on her way home. She was having dinner with Victoria and some of the others to thank them for their generosity. They would see each other tomorrow at lunch.

Friday, Sydney slept in, jumped into jeans and a tee-shirt, slipped on some sandals and was out the door by nine-thirty. Her appointment was at ten and she wanted to stop for some tea.

Reece made his way to class early. Knowing better than to interrupt Sydney or any woman while they had their nails done, at ten-thirty he texted her confirming their lunch date.

Sydney had had her long hair trimmed and simply styled. She liked to keep things simple. Not one to enjoy fussing with her hair in the morning, she normally wore it loose. On hot or frenzied days her go to hair tool was a clip; there was always one in her purse. Once her hair was finished she went about selecting the color for her nails. She was giddy and happy and the hot pink tulip color screamed at her from the small bottle. It would be a fun color for the weekend, but come Monday it would scream something else. She looked through the tiny bottles and finally selecting one that made her feel pretty ballet pink; it was creamy and soft and neutral enough to go with anything she wore to the office. Plus it would go with the outfit she had picked for tonight's La La Land premier. By twelve twenty she was headed to lunch.

The restaurant was partially empty with only the remnants of the lunch crowd remaining. Traffic had been surprisingly light and the cab ride had taken only twenty minutes. She secured a table and waited on Reece. At one ten, when she spotted him huffing his way in the door, anxiously looking at the time on his phone, she smiled.

"Sorry I'm late, should have taken a cab. Stupid subway, it's like the lottery, you never know…" he'd stammered as he sat.

"It's okay, I just got here myself," she offered.

"You look beautiful; not that you don't always look beautiful but you look exceptionally beautiful," he'd complimented as he leaned in for a kiss.

They enjoyed lunch and talked about Sydney's dinner with Victoria and the others. Reece told her his thesis advisor had complimented a recent citation he'd added to his paper and they discussed plans for the weekend. He told her to enjoy the movie and to please call him when she was back home. She assured him she would make sure he knew she was safe. The evening plans simply called an early dinner and the movie. The show started at nine and she wanted to get there early.

"So, who's the lucky person? You taking Jennifer? Lisa? I'm sure you'll have a blast. They say the movie stays true to the original. NPR gave it a great review," he added as he stuffed the last of the noodles in his mouth.

Sydney put her chopsticks down and looked at Reece. "Well, you said to take a friend, and it was a tough choice. Everyone is so jealous I got tickets, they all offered to go with me. But I thought I'd take my best friend. It's not just anyone that will let you make a fool of yourself when you sing along regardless how tone deaf you are." Sydney pulled the tickets from her purse, displaying them to Reece.

"So… who's it gonna be?"

"Sometimes you are so dense!" she'd proclaimed as she softly punched his upper arm.

"Ouch!"

"Pick me up around six and wear a suit. My accomplice left a new tie on your bed. Now go be brilliant, you're gonna be late to class." She grabbed the check from the table, stood and kissed him softly on his cheek, adding a few words of what the evening promised.

Feeling her lips on his face, listening to the words she whispered, Reece closed his eyes and gasped for air. He smiled and walked to the door. It was going to be a long day.

He had made such great efforts while they were on the outs that Sydney was determined to show him how much she had appreciated his thoughtfulness and hard work. She'd made reservations at his favorite seafood restaurant and had made sure Jennifer was away for the weekend. At the end of the night, they would have her apartment all to themselves.

Reece had never been in such a hurry to get out of class. He avoided everyone, not wanting to be caught up in debates or questions. Today was not a day to chance the subway, he flagged down a cab and headed home. Twenty minutes later, he was walking into his apartment, shedding his clothing as he made his way to the shower; it was four thirty-five. He was sure he jumped in the shower, shaved and dressed in one single motion. Lucky for him he had arranged for a car at five. As he buttoned his light gray shirt, he opened the box sitting on his bed. The paisley blue tie made him laugh. Sydney always claimed his collection of solid color ties was boring. As he finished knotting his tie the phone rang, the car was downstairs. He grabbed his wallet and phone and headed out. It was five forty-five when he knocked on Sydney's door.

The cobalt blue, v neck halter top dress left him breathless. Had she not been ready and waiting at the door, he'd be hard pressed to believe they'd make it anywhere. She smiled at his sweet compliment, took his hand and followed him to the elevator. When they exited onto the street she noticed the towncar, the driver waiting by the door. Reece pointed towards the car announcing her charioted awaited. When she provided the driver with the name of the restaurant Reece beamed. It was one of his favorite places, but way too expensive to call it a regular spot.

They looked like they belonged together. He knew he had a swagger, but with the most beautiful woman in New York City on his arm, he had reason to boast. He ordered a bottle of Sydney's favorite white wine and the spicy tuna tartare appetizer. He listened as she gleefully told him about the dress. It was a replica of one worn by Emma Stone in the original movie. She had been surprised to discover she had strappy heels that matched perfectly, she'd proudly declared, as she pulled her foot from under the table to show him. He was mesmerized.

"Did you like the tie?" she'd sheepishly asked.

"I love it. You should pick out all my ties," he said with a glimmer, as he pulled the tie out of his jacket.

They ordered dinner while enjoying the wine and conversation. He tasted her grilled Atlantic salmon, and she had some of his crab meat risotto. Just before the dishes were cleared, he looked at his watch.

"We have plenty of time for dessert, how about that mocha crème brulee you like; we can share," he'd said while wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I think we can still fit a bit of dessert into this dress…" she'd answered with a smile.

To Sydney's dismay, he had stealthily slipped his credit card to the waiter. He signed for the check, adding a generous tip, pulled out his phone and called for the car. As they exited the restaurant the towncar was pulling up. The ten-minute drive to the theater was easy until they hit Time Square. They had the driver pull over and decided to walk the short two blocks to the theater. The weather was a crisp fifty degrees and Sydney had pulled a shawl over her shoulders. Reece wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

The crowded sidewalks buzzed with energy. As they approached the center of Time Square the lights grew brighter and the excitement palpable; she was giddy. Security was tight, and as they approached the theater they were asked for their tickets. The entrance was decorated with a red carpet, spot lights illuminating the night sky, and a movie logo backdrop provided a photo op area. Guests were encouraged to have their picture taken by the in-house photographer as well as taking their own snapshots. Reece grabbed Sydney by the hand and pulled her towards the few couples waiting to take their picture. When it was their turn, he took her in his arms, posing mid dance. In true old Hollywood fashion, they were handed a program and escorted to their seats by an usher.

They had premium seats, even Reece had been impressed. Once seated, he rushed to the concession stand and returned with two bottles of water. Before the start of the movie, a number of stars were introduced. One of the producers paid homage to the original film, its mastery, and music. Soon the speeches gave way to a hush as the lights dimmed and the movie started. Just as the music kicked up Reece reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag of gummy bears, handing them to Sydney. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder.

The movie lived up to the hype. They had stayed true to the original which had been a sure fire way to succeed. The young new actors had made the roles their own. The audience had rewarded the movie with a standing ovation.

The night was magical.


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24**

Before long, March gave way to April. His father's birthday was always a special event and this year was no exception. Family and friends gathered to celebrate and _roast him_ , as his father was fond of claiming. Ryan and Esposito enjoyed recounting embarrassing stories. His mother relished taunting his elaborate, ghosts, mobsters, spy, or zombie theories.

May was filled with studying for finals and polishing papers. Reece had been offered a paid summer internship with his department and had jumped at the opportunity. The **Wetherton's would be vacationing in Aruba and he and Sydney would be joining them for a week, right after classes ended.**

 **June saw the development of Jake's attention being captivated by one Emily** Richardson. It was not long before Emily became a fixture. Everyone enjoyed seeing Emily wearing a Castle Team jersey, and playing short stop, at the Johanna Beckett Fourth of July Softball Tournament. Not far away, a smiling Jake Castle played first. Reece was happy for his brother.

The summer flew by and soon it was back to the grinding class schedule. His final year consisted of duties as a teaching assistant, research and putting the final touches on his thesis. The looming concern of a doctoral program occupied most of his thoughts. He and Sydney had discussed the possibility of him leaving New York; secretly, neither liked that idea. M.I.T. and John Hopkins were not far, and they could commute back and forth, but he was not too happy about that possibility. Though application deadlines weren't until December, by late October he'd been contacted by several programs, most were across the country.

October brought with it his father's crazy Halloween Extravaganza. Lily would be front and center, regardless of what else she had going. Halloween was a serious undertaking for Lily Castle. Alexis and Ben would go all out, demanding a recount when their costumes came up short; he and Sydney would throw something together at the last minute, sit back and enjoy.

Halloween saw Jake and Emily winning the coveted, best costume award. Accompanied by Emily's brother, the threesome had dressed up as characters from The Princess Bride. To the enjoyment of all, they showed up as Westley, Buttercup and Indigo Montoya and even performed a swashbuckling skit. It was during this Castle spectacle that Reece made what he considered the most important decision of his life.

He had gone in search of snacks, upon his return he had spotted Sydney and Charlie. There sat Charlie, his ten-year-old niece, comfortably on Sydney's lap whispering in her ear as they both giggled. He was going to marry that wonderful woman, and he was going to do it soon.

November brought with it cool weather, nerves, and doubts. Reece pondered his decisions, both personal and professional. He had no doubt he loved Sydney and Sydney loved him, but he'd be stuck doing work on a Ph.D. for years; how fair would that be to Sydney? Plus what if they had to move? Sydney loved her job and had never been far from her family. How could he ask her to give that up? And money. Throughout the years they'd skirted through that conversation. Though they were both very well off, thanks in part to trusts from their families, they'd taken great pride in living within their means. They wanted to make it on their own, it was something they shared. He just kept going in circles; he was going crazy.

Sunday he and Jake headed to their parents for brunch. Plans for Thanksgiving were in the works as Alexis and Ben were hosting. Reece knew it was time to bring his parents in on his decision. Jake headed out early, hurrying to meet up with Emily; Reece stayed behind.

Once Jake left, Rick closed the door and addressed Reece. "Alright son, what's going on? You've been fidgeting all day, you look like you're about to face a firing squad."

"I'm going to ask Sydney to marry me," he'd blurted out.

Both his parents laughed. Kate placed her hand over her mouth walking towards a now sitting Reece.

"Awe, sweetie I'm sorry, we didn't mean to laugh it's just that we're happy for you. You two belong together. We love Sydney and we knew it was only a matter of time. Congratulations. When are you going to ask her? Make sure it's special, but not too over the top. Sydney likes simple things, she's not a jumbotron, flash mob proposal type of girl…" Kate was excited, and it showed.

"Kate, Kate… let the boy talk. Honey, I'm sure Reece has a plan. Although the jumbotron idea has merit," Castle had declared.

"Nope. No idea, no plan, just a blank. Although I'm with Mom. I don't think singing mariachis or a flashy anything is Sydney. I need to buy a ring; I know I need one of those before I propose," a somber Reece added.

"Well, do you have any idea what you want to get her? I can call Stan, he can bring a few pieces to you and you can select what you want. Give him an idea what you want and your budget and he can help. I've been doing business with Stan for years and before that his father. Trust me, he's the go to guy," a proud Castle advised.

"Dad, I'm nowhere near a jeweler coming to me. I want to get something nice and I most definitely will be dipping into my savings for it, but Sydney's not the huge diamond type. Mom, will you go with me?"

"Reece, the amount of money does not matter. I think your father's right, Stan will give you a good deal and he can be trusted to provide you with a high-quality stone. Let your father make a call. We can have him come here or wherever you want, and of course, I'll help you," Kate had assured him with tears in her eyes.

Castle picked up his phone and dialed. With the amount of money he'd spent in the last forty years with Oglethorpe Jewelers, they'd better come out for his son. Castle passed the phone to Reece who provided some information. Kate nodded when Reece asked if she was available Tuesday. Once that was done Reece thanked his parents and held his breath. There was yet another surprise in store for them.

Columbia had made him an offered. A position at the university, and a slot in their doctoral program. He would be doing some teaching as well as assisting with research. The position provided a $55,000 a year stipend, and free tuition. He'd looked into Ph.D. programs at M.I.T., and John Hopkins, but Columbia was making a great offer. The best part was he could stay in New York. He had until the end of the semester to decide. Castle and Kate both agreed they liked the _staying in New York_ part. What he neglected to mention was one of his professors had sweetened the deal by offering a possible internship with Goddard Institute for Space Studies; this was NASA, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. His dream of research in Astrobiology would become reality. He wanted to discuss it with Sydney first, but he was pretty sure he'd be accepting.

Tuesday when he'd nervously entered his parent's home, Stan Oglethorpe was already laughing it up in the den with his father. Castle excused himself and left Kate to help out their son. The moment Stan unwrapped the purple velvet Reece knew he was out of his league.

Reece was convinced Stan Oglethorpe was a sorcerer. With the little information he had provided, he had brought along an array of beautiful rings that he could see Sydney wearing. He had wanted something simple, but classic, platinum or white gold. Something elegant, not too big, but definitely not too small. He wanted it to wow her and at the same time let her know how much he loved her.

"First we find a diamond, then we talk setting. I know you have a budget…" explained Stan.

"Listen Mr. Ogelthorpe, I know I gave you a figure, but I want you to show me something nice that fits my description. So…"

Stan laughed and pulled out a second velvet wrap from his case. "I owe your father twenty bucks," he'd mumbled.

Stan proceeds to provide detail descriptions of the diamonds Reece selected. He gave Reece a crash course on cut, color, clarity, and carat. He explained that carat referred to the diamond's **total weight** and not its size. Stan showed him different cuts such as round, princess, emerald, marquise, oval, pear and others. Before long he was overwhelmed. All he wanted was a ring! Kate could see her son was growing frustrated. She suggested they take a break. Stan saw it as an opportunity to give mother and son time to discuss things and excused himself.

"Reece, take a breath. Let me call your father. I've never picked out an engagement ring. Your father on the other hand…"

"I didn't expect it to be this difficult."

A few minutes later Castle walked in. He told Reece although he'd been married three times, the only ring he'd actually lost sleep over and selected Kate's. Meredith had chosen her own ring, he'd simply paid. When he proposed to Gina he had picked out the most expensive diamond he could afford. But when he chose Kate's ring he thought of every detail. The diamond was large but not gaudy, and the setting was delicate and intricate just like her. Castle told Reece to close his eyes and envision the type of ring he saw himself placing on Sydney's finger. Once he saw that ring in his mind the rest was easy. Reece took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Before long, Castle could see a faint smile on his son's lips.

Not long after, Reece was drawing just what he wanted. He'd settled for platinum. The two carat, cushion cut diamond would sit atop the setting, slightly raised on the plain band. After a much-discussed Castle discount, Reece had parted with seventy percent of a year's salary from a job he had still to accept.

He'd gotten the call about the ring three weeks later. He'd picked it up and rushed home, afraid he's loose it. It was beautiful, more so than he had imagined. It captured Sydney's elegance and grace; he'd nailed it. His days were busy with classes, his nights preoccupied with the proposal. The ring, well hidden, poked at his indecisiveness. Everything he came up with seemed cliché. All the locations he thought of were common place and overdone. The fact that it was dead of winter was no help at all. After swearing him to secrecy, he'd finally enlisted Jake's assistance. That proved to be of little help.

"I don't know why you're asking me. The only thing I was good at when it came to Sydney was getting us in trouble. How about atop the Empire State Building, or any other New York structure for that matter? You know even if it's closed, I'm sure dad knows a guy, who knows a guy," Jake had pointed out.

Reece suddenly lit up, grabbed his brother by the shoulders, bellowing, "Jake, you're a genius!"

Jake pushed his brother off and Reece laughed.

"That's a given! I don't know what I said, but I will take full credit at a later date," Jake promised.

Reece researched the possibility of his idea. It would be tough, but if anyone could help it would be his father. That was his next call. Two days later, after Thanksgiving dinner had been devoured, Jake recruited his father and brother for _"Operation_ _Marry Me."_ Kate, Alexis, and Lily loved his idea. Kate offered to pull strings if Castle could not get it done. The trio was hopeful that Castle would deliver.


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER 25**

Jake had taken to his brother's plan like a general. He and his father had coordinated everyone and everything at the site. There was Luis from the Parks division, the well-hidden photographer, two of New York's finest, just in case, and him. Twenty more minutes and he would make the final call, confirming Reece and Sydney were approaching.

They made their way through Bennett Park and onto the Greenway just past the George Washington Bridge. The trail, with runners and some bicyclist, was not too busy. The bright sunny day was fading and the wind along the Hudson was picking up, the temperature was dipping. He wrapped his arm around her and smiled as he lifted the collar of her coat. Discreetly he patted his right pocket, reassuring himself the ring was still there.

"I haven't been here in ages. Do you remember the first time we were here together? We went to the little lighthouse. Isn't it around here?" Sydney asked.

"How could I forget, it was our first official school field trip. I think we were in second grade. My dad was one of the chaperones. He read us the * _The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge_. You wanted to go inside the lighthouse but it was locked. Had quite the temper tantrum if I recall. Your mother was not at all pleased," he replied with a laugh. "It was not a temper tantrum! I still say it was false advertising. How can you tell that story and then not allow us to go inside and look out the lighthouse? It was a protest, not a tantrum," she'd boldly declared. Just as he was about to say something his phone rang; Jake. He looked at the time as he answered; right on the money, four-thirty. "You're an idiot Jake. I'm nowhere[RB1] near the apartment, you'll just have to figure it out." Jake had locked himself out of the apartment he'd explained to Sydney.

He leaned in, kissed her softly on the lips and added, "How about we go visit the location of the great Sydney protest."

They walked the short distance around the point and came upon the Light Red Lighthouse. He took her hand and pulled her towards the wrought-iron gate that prevented anyone from venturing too close. Daily tours of the lighthouse had stopped over thirty ago, now it was only opened four weekends a year and never in the winter. Tours were next to impossible to book, she had never been inside. As he yanked on the gate, the door gave way. A shocked Sydney reprimanded him and ordered him away. He took her hand, pulling her towards the now opened gate.

"Come on, let's see if we can get inside," he dared her.

"Are you insane? We're gonna get arrested," she countered, resisting his pull.

He took the three steps to the lighthouse door, yanked and to Sydney's astonishment the door opened. He swiftly pulled her inside and closed the door. The laughter that followed tugged at his heart. The excitement as they ran up the small spiral staircase was palpable. By the time they'd made it to the top they were both breathless.

"Oh my god, this view is spectacular! If anyone catches us up here you better pray Alexis can bail us out," she'd huffed. Just as she was castigating him, he pulled her close and kissed her. The kiss was passionate and searing. She melted into his embrace and reciprocated. With her heart pounding, and her breathing still heavy from the run up the stairs and the kiss, she never heard the buzzing of the drone just above them. The pictures it was snapping were well worth the risk. He broke the kiss and looked at her; the grin on her face giving way to an inquisitive stare. He took her hands in his and nervously smiled.

"Syd, I remember the lighthouse and your _protest_. I remember your obsession with Tinker Bell. I remember you cried when you told me you were transferring schools, and I remember your purple cast when you broke your arm. I remember every time you helped me and Jake with a stupid prank, and every time you covered for us. I remember learning to dance so I could ask you to the freshman dance, I even remember the pink dress you wore. I remember nervously asking you to be my girlfriend, and I remember our first kiss. I remember the awkwardness and joy the first time we made love just as clearly as I remember making love to you this morning. I remember crying in your arms the night my Grandmother passed away, and I will always remember today, the day I asked you to be my wife." As tears gathered in her eyes, Reece pulled the ring from his coat pocket and got on one knee.

"Sydney Margaret Wetherton, will you marry me?"

It had been perfect. The sun was just setting when to his delight Sydney answered "yes." He nervously placed the ring on her finger, kissed her and wrapped her in his arms. They stayed by the railing as the sun set in the distance. The temperature was now much colder and he lovingly tucked her scarf around her neck. After a few minutes, when he felt her shiver, he led her towards the door.

"Come on, you're freezing."

He held her hand as they worked themselves down the stairs. She abruptly stopped when she saw the serious looking Park Ranger standing by the door. He assured her it was okay. The young Ranger tipped his hat and congratulated them. As they exited the gate Sydney saw Jake standing on the side, a huge grin on his face. Jake high fived his brother and hugged Sydney, reminding her he was the better looking of the two and she could always change her mind. Jake kissed Sydney, congratulating them both. As they returned to the walkway, the Park Ranger secured the gate and walked away. The photographer approached from a distance and requested a moment, taking a few pictures in front of the lighthouse with the fading sun behind them.

He had thought of everything, she was rendered speechless. She was still in a fog. He had really caught her off guard. Although she presumed he'd eventually propose, she did not expect it would be now. The ring was stunning, the thought he'd put into the location priceless. His words heartfelt and special. How she loved this man.

They walked down the path and ultimately reached the towncar he had reserved. Back at the apartment, Emily was awaiting news to set the rest of the scene. There were candles to light, a bottle of Sydney's favorite wine to place in the ice bucket, dinner to heat in the oven and a wrapped gift to set out. Emily and Jake had found alternative accommodations, giving the newly engaged couple total privacy for the weekend.

Once inside the car, she called her mother. She placed the call on speaker as her parent's happily congratulated them. She spent the ride home wrapped around her fiancé, still entranced by the events of the evening and the new title. Her cheeks hurt from the smile that was permanently etched on her face. She peppered him with questions, as he smiled and offered answers. Yes, he'd gotten authorization to enter the lighthouse and yes, her parents knew. Yes, Jake had helped him out and yes, the drone was taking pictures. He too had questions. Was she surprised? Did she have any idea he was going to propose? Did she like the ring; she'd answered that one with a kiss and a resounding yes. He understood she might want to see her parents and asked where she wanted to go. She had responded as he'd hoped, she wanted to go home. Home, a word that he hoped would soon mean one place and one place only for them both. Tonight, however, he did not need to clarify. He gave the driver the address and texted Emily they were on their way.

The wonderful day was far from over. Reece was unaware he was capable of giggling, yet her he was with his future wife, riding the elevator to his apartment, both consumed by silly giggles. Her face lit up as they entered the apartment to a sea of glowing candlelight. He kicked the door shut, took her in his arms and kissed her hard.

Sydney laughed and leaned into him. Taking him by the hand she walked around the apartment reveling in the soft light of the candles. She noticed her favorite wine chilling in an ice bucket with two wine glasses at the ready. Reece poured the wine, announcing dinner was in the oven, and her favorite chocolate mousse dessert was in the fridge. Next, to the wine, she spotted the wrapped box. But before she could reach the present Reece grabbed it and smiled. She could open it with dessert he'd announced.

The excitement in the room was unmistakable. Neither of them was hungry so Reece removed the food from the oven and placed it in the refrigerator as he took out the dessert. He walked over to Sydney with the chocolate mousse and the gift. He smiled and handed her the present.

As she tore away the paper, tears gathered in her eyes. The simple gift was as special as the ring he had placed on her finger less than an hour ago. She would always treasure this copy of _The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge_. Someday she'd read their children the simple story and finish it off with how their daddy had proposed to her atop the Little Red Lighthouse.

They ate the dessert and sipped their wine, eventually moving on to the bedroom. The adrenaline finally having given way to exhaustion, by eleven they had fallen asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

[RB1]


	26. Chapter 26

This is the last and final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed the story. I was encouraged to write Reece after penning JAKE. If you haven't read JAKE I hope you do so.

Those of you that have read some of my other stories know technology HATES me. So posting stories is always a challenge. All the errors and mistakes are mine. I do not have a proof reader, and although I read and read before posting, mistakes will happen. My apologies.

Thanking you for being a fanfiction reader, for giving my stories a chance, but mostly, for keeping Castle going.

 **CHAPTER 26**

To everyone's delight, Christmas brought about a slew of change for the Castle family. He had finally proposed to Sydney, him mother had announced she would not seek reelection, and his father declared he had published his last book. Before he knew it a new year had dawned.

Just eighteen days after his father's seventy-fifth birthday, Castle had been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. Everyone had been taken by surprise. Confident he had a best seller, and unbeknownst to all, Gina had submitted the book's galley proof for consideration prior to publishing.

May saw him and Reece receive their Master's degrees. He was looking forward to time-off before jumping into the Ph.D. program at Columbia. Time to enjoy with Sydney. His future mother-in-law had gone nuclear with the wedding plans and Sydney was at her wit's end. They had still not selected a date and she was on the warpath. Sydney had hoped for a small wedding and her mother was planning the event of the century. Sydney was so over it, she had suggested eloping. June provided a much-needed escape to the Hamptons and a timeout from any wedding discussion.

July saw them finally set a wedding date and to her mother's chagrin, a limit on the number of guests. By late July, Jake had moved in with Emily and he and Sydney had the apartment to themselves.

September brought with it a new start, as both he and Sydney planned ahead. October gave way to November and before they knew it Christmas was upon them. He had gotten the internship at Goddard and would be starting in January. The New Year looked to be filled with change and opportunity.

Before long the end of May neared and with it his wedding day. The ceremony had been breathtaking. Held at the Tribeca Rooftop, the views were stunning. Sydney glowed, and he had gasped when he'd seen her walking down the aisle; she was breathtaking. It amazed him how he loves her more and more each day. He was not ashamed of his tears.

Sydney's mother had outdone herself; every detail was seen to, nothing overlooked. He had only two responsibilities, get there on time, and select the song for their first dance as husband and wife. Even with those limited duties, he was a bundle of nerves.

They'd exchanged their vows in front of one hundred and twenty guests. Mostly, family and close friends, the atmosphere had been just what they'd wanted. He experienced a moment of sorrow when thinking of his grandmother and how she would have loved the special day. He took solace in the fact she had known and loved Sydney, and had even told him someday he would marry the "sweet girl." Today he had.

The reception turned into a wonderful party. The photographer that had taken the pictures at the proposal had been contracted for the wedding. He had several silent drones flying over the room taking pictures, allowing guests to enjoy their time while recording the special day. When they walked into the reception they had been introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Castle to the cheers of friends and family.

Jake offered a beautifully written toast to the bride and groom just before the meal was served. Family and friends stopped by the table, offering well wishes and congratulations. Soon the music started and it was time for Sydney to dance with her father. Then it would be his turn.

Harold Wetherton wiped away tears as he stepped on the dance floor. His daughter looked beautiful. She was happy and in love, and she'd found someone that adored her. As the soft music started he took her by the hand, placed a kiss on her cheek and danced one last dance with his little girl. When the song ended the deejay interrupted.

"Ladies and gentleman, the groom has requested to say a few words." The dee jay walked the microphone over to Reece, holding it as Reece took both of Sydney's hand's in his. A perplexed Sydney looked on.

He begged the guest's indulgence. He wanted to say something to his lovely bride. He cleared his throat, looked in her eyes, and soldiered on.

"In high school, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I wanted to travel the stars. But along with all the love and support my parents provided, they also gave us kid's tall genes. Usually, guys want to be tall; I held my breath when I grew past six feet. You see, astronauts can't be over six feet two and a half inches tall. Jake and I are six four. I'll never forget the day I grew past that height, I was devastated. So, I focused on science and found unimaginable new worlds to explore and discover here on earth. I know, you're all wondering where this is going. I'll tell you. That day in eleventh grade, when I hit six three on the growth chart and literally outgrew my dream, Sydney was there. I remember her calling me late that night. She listened to me bluster how it was no big deal, but she knew better. I realized then I had no need to discover new constellations. Sydney Wetherton was and will always be the brightest star in any galaxy." Reece leaned in and softly kissed his bride.

As he parted, he took two flutes of Champaign from the nearby table, offering one to Sydney. He raised his glass and asked everyone to join him. "A toast to my beautiful wife! I love you beyond the stars." After taking a sip Reece placed both their glasses on the nearby table, took his bride by the hand and led her to the dance floor as the sounds of Frank Sinatra singing, _Fly Me to the Moon_ filled the room. She laughed as he swayed her in tune to the music.

Just before the song ended Reece twirled his bride, then pulled her close and whispered, "My grandmother taught me to dance to this song. I begged her to teach me so I could ask you to the freshman dance. She told me someday I would marry you, and she was right."

 **THE END**

 _*The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift_ _(Author), Lynd Ward_ _(Illustrator)_


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